


Faulkner and Lenôtre

by BigMammaLlama5



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alex has a weed dispensary called the DEO (Department of Edible Operations) lol, F/F, Gay shenanigans, a whole ass chicken on a pizza, half of my research for this was looking up recipes i want to personally try, honorable mentioned is Jack, i tried to make this a slowburn even if it is just a oneshot, i want a mother fuckin danish but its 4 in the morning, intentional memes, no powers, short mentions of alex, some mild bed sharing bc i said so, we get to have some fun with winn and nia and jess and hector and julia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-30
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-07-20 15:30:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 34,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16140167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigMammaLlama5/pseuds/BigMammaLlama5
Summary: A bakery/bookstore au. To clarify: the one where Kara owns a pastry shop and Lena owns the neighboring bookstore. This fic was really just an excuse to write about pastries I personally want to try making. And soft supercorp. Rating is for mild language and some alcohol.





	Faulkner and Lenôtre

**Author's Note:**

> Pulled from a tumblr prompt!
> 
> Person A works next to a cute bakery owned by Person B. Person A goes in frequently after work to order the same favorite pastry item each time. One day Person A comes in to find their favorite pastry named “date me Person A”.
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3

The bell on the door jingled at promptly ten-thirty one warm spring morning and Kara straightened up from the tray she had just shuffled back into the case. She pushed her glasses up with the back of her wrist and focused on the woman that had just walked into the bakery.

 

“Good morning! What can I get you?”

 

The woman smiled politely, all high cheekbones and deep brown wide eyes that projected a no-nonsense attitude. “Good morning, could I get half a dozen scones?”

 

“Sure thing! Do you want those heated?” Kara flipped open a thin board box and took out her tongs.

 

“No, thank you.”

 

Kara nodded and quickly filled the box at the customer’s direction, boxed it up, and took the payment with a tap of a shiny credit card.

 

“Thanks for coming in! Enjoy!”

 

The woman waved politely and exited the shop with a jingle, then promptly entered the bookstore next door. Kara didn’t think anything of it.

 

“Hey Kara, where’d you put that cinnamon shaker?”

 

“ _ You _ put it in the refrigerator, Winn.”

 

A slightly bewildered and flour smattered man with brown hair wearing a tee printed with an ethernet cable  _ plug it in plug it in _ paused in the kitchen.

 

“I did?”

 

Kara sighed and handed him his abandoned coffee with a pat on the shoulder. “Stop playing Skyrim until two in the morning.”

 

“But Khajiit has wares to sell!” He pouted but took his drink and guzzled the lukewarm beverage with a small grimace. He glared at the empty paper cup. “Khajiit will be going to bed at seven tonight.”

 

Kara snorted in amusement and got back to work as an elderly black woman shuffled into the shop.

 

“Mrs. Delilah!”

 

* * *

 

Kara knew every customer by name.

 

She knew every surrounding store and who worked there in the tucked away plaza in East Village. She knew the bus drivers that would stop through on their route, she knew the homeless that would frequent the back alley, she knew the stray cats that laid in the sun in front of her small bakery. She also knew and was friends with a small herd of old ladies from all nationalities that lived in the modest apartment building across the street. She knew exactly what they wanted or needed and often held community workshops on Sunday afternoons with them to teach baking classes. They often asked to be featured on her website because  _ my nieto, he misses my arepas and I want to share the recipe so he can have them too! _ It wasn’t what she thought she’d be doing with her life, but she loved it.

 

Every morning started with a run and appointment with her punching bag at promptly four in the morning. A quick shower around five and then a good full breakfast had her fueled and ready to go. The ovens were fired up at five-thirty with the arrival of her only employee and best friend, Winn, and the first batch of breakfast pastries were in the oven at twenty til six. A rotation of seasonal scones filled with raspberries, coconut, chocolate, orange, cinnamon, blueberry, ginger, or plain (with or without a maple glaze) were the first out. Croissants twisted with chocolate, nutella, orange, or ham and cheese were next, golden brown and flakey. A similar army of blueberry, poppyseed, cran-orange, chocolate chip, and bran muffins crowded the counter. Loaves of hardy banana, pumpkin, and lemon-blueberry bread waited patiently on the cooling racks for slicing. Pan au chocolat, stickybuns with a pecan-brown sugar topping, classic cinnamon rolls with a rich but not sickly sweet cream cheese topping, cheese and fruit filled danishes, puff pastry roses layered with thin apple slices and powdered sugar, and massively fluffy donuts dusted with powdered sugar rounded out the sweets.

 

Then after that it was the bread. Sourdough, white yeast, whole grain, rye, and baguettes were the house staple. Fridays were reserved for small batches of slower selling loaves like pita, brioche, ciabatta, focaccia, pumpernickel, kifli, and crumpets. There were a few gluten free and vegan options tucked away in a separate display case, packed with nuts and berries. Kara would often stay behind on slow days and invite the elderly women over to learn about pastries and in turn learn about breads and desserts that they grew up with. It gave Kara something to do and it helped get the elderly women out and about, as well as share their vast wealth of knowledge.

 

Every morning, excluding some holidays and the yearly summer beach week in Midvale, the bakery named  _ KARA’S _ opened at seven on the dot. An enormous wooden panel above the red wood and glass door had her name emblazoned in a classically tasteful script painted in bright gold and a matching red on a deep navy background. Two small iron wrought tables sat next to pairs of matching chairs sporting subtly striped cushions against the oak stained base of the front of the bakery. The large glass window front was spotless and devoid of fliers or signs save for two decals, one yellow and one rainbow (proclaiming the bakery a safe space), to allow for as much sunlight to enter the establishment as possible. There were a few more wooden sets of tables and chairs inside pushed against the window and around to the right. A counter of utensils, napkins, and towering coffee dispensers took up the left wall next to a refrigerated display case filled a selection of juice drinks and water. The tile was scuffed under the seating and slightly worn in front of the glass display case that ran almost the whole length of the bakery shop.

 

Personal touches filled the free space left in the Bakery. Photographs of National City, crayon drawings from customer’s children, a cork board where fliers and neighborhood activities were posted filled the walls. A goofy decorated tip jar with “charity of the week” written on it kept the register company next to a small paper cup with  _ need a penny take a penny _ scrawled on the side. Various pride flag stickers peeling at the corners plastered the front of the register in a bright cheerful vomit of colors. And lastly a small stack of metal pet dishes for water and a container of unused poop bags stood ready by the door. Each shelved tray was full of fresh baked pastries and the tall racks behind the counter held bread suspended, waiting to be sliced and bagged for sale. Special glass containers of the diet-aware pastries were spaced evenly on top of the display case. The entire place smelled of sweetness, yeast, fruit, and freshness. It radiated happiness.

 

Kara always greeted the first two or three customers brightly as they waited patiently under the canvas awning, opening the door wide in a whirl of sugar and spice. By seven thirty her small cozy bakery was bustling with an eclectic mix of customers from the surrounding neighborhood passing through on their way to work. Winn left at least three times a week around eight for his IT consulting job at CatCo Worldwide Media and Kara would man the fort. Around nine the morning rush would begin to slack and the second wave of older customers and young parents would trickle in until about eleven before the lunch rush started. Business would pick up again as people sped through for a coffee and sugar boost and fall off again about one. The bakery would close around three and Kara would clean and prepare for the following day, usually locking up around five-or earlier on the days Winn could stay. On the weekends Winn would pick up the cleaning and prep duties while she could take some time to herself to rest and work on her freelance articles and new recipes. Bed was at ten.

 

If Kara really had to admit it, her life was a little lonely on a personal level. But mainly because she sometimes wished she had someone to come home to. Running the bakery left very little time and energy for her to pursue the dating scene and it definitely became discouraging every once in a while. However Kara knew she would certainly never trade what she had for a compromise. Whoever she met,  _ if _ she met someone, would just have to understand that this was a huge part of her life. And that they better like pastries.

 

* * *

 

The rest of the week was uneventful, but then Sunday morning the same customer from the bookstore arrived again at promptly ten-thirty.

 

“Welcome! Decided to come back for round two?”

 

The woman blinked at her in surprise, obviously not expecting Kara to remember her. “I-yes. Yes, the scones were quite good.”

 

“I’m glad you liked them. What can I get you?”

 

The woman scanned the display case, picked out three scones and an orange croissant, paid with a tap of the same shiny credit card and was gone with a jingle of the bell tied to the door. Kara briefly registered out of the corner of her eye that she went into the bookstore again. Maybe she was a student? She looked too old to be a typical college kid but that didn’t mean she wasn’t. Kara knew the bookstore was a hangout for a quieter group of college kids so maybe she was a part of that social circle. She shrugged mentally to herself and dodged out of Winn’s way as he approached with a fresh batch of muffins.

 

“Hey, could you check the batter bowl and tell me if there’s enough dough left for a half-tray of pan au’s? I thought those would be good for the conference meeting I have tomorrow morning.”

 

“Yeah, sure. Let me send you some muffins to take to Miss Grant too.”

 

“I still can’t believe you’re friends with her. It’s so  _ weird _ .”

 

“How is that weird??” Kara slung her arms about in a half-shrug as Winn retreated back into the kitchen with a shake of his head.

 

“Schott!!  _ How is that weird?! _ ”

 

* * *

 

For the next few weeks the customer returned, ordering a couple of the day’s scones and one of something different each time. Kara eventually learned that her name was Jess. Well, she knew after the third time she came in and read it on the credit card, but it wasn’t until the fourth time that she asked for her name. Jess worked next door and happened to be the co-owner of  _ Books and Bytes _ . Every time she came in Kara would ask after the shop and how business was going. Apparently it was a very popular stop for the National City University students, and nestled next to  _ Kara’s _ it was a perfect hole in the wall to find a quiet place to study.

 

“You know, you can just come next door and visit sometime.” Jess had teased her on the seventh visit.

 

Kara sighed with a smile and shrugged with a gesture to her bakery. “I’m hoping to one day, but there’s no rest for the weary over here.”

 

“I’m sure you could hire a few culinary students for help.” She suggested as she handed her card over.

 

“Maybe I’ll put a flier up.”

 

“If you do, bring a copy over. We have a job listing board we can pin it to. Do you have a social media account?”

 

“Instagram.” Kara pointed to the home-made sticker on the front of her register, partially covered by a rainbow cupcake sticker. “But I really don’t keep up with it like I should. I usually dedicate my time not baking to my articles, so it’s easy to forget about it.”

 

Jess pursed her lips thoughtfully and pulled her phone out. “May I?”

 

“Sure.” Kara turned to finish boxing up her order as Jess snapped a picture of the sticker vomit.

 

“We have a modest following, would it be alright if we followed your account? Maybe give you guys a shout out soon?”

 

Kara blinked in surprise and grinned sunnily. “Oh that would be awesome! I’ll have to follow you back… and get into the habit of using it more.”

 

Jess returned the smile and tucked her phone away, accepting the white paperboard box from Kara and began to step towards the door.

 

“There’s no rush, we’ll be around.”

 

“Sounds good! See you later, Jess.”

 

The door jangled and Kara returned to work, helping the next tired-looking young mother with a gentle smile.

 

“Hi, welcome! What can I get you?”

 

* * *

 

Three weeks later after some wheedling from Winn, a ridiculously busy two weeks of the end-of-semester and exam rush, and a lot of sleepless nights to keep up, Kara slapped a flier together. It detailed the need for bakers with basic training and hopefully some kind of experience, even if that experience was just school.

 

_ Got a sweet tooth? _

 

_ Kara’s is looking to hire young bakers part time. _

_ Benefits include industry standard pay and flexible hours around school. _

_ Kara's is an LGBTQIA+ safe space, all applicants are welcome. _

 

_ Must have basic training, experience desired but not required. _

_ A good attitude and love to learn is a must! _

_ Can count towards a university required internship. _

 

_ Send resumes to karasbakery.nc@gmail.com with photos of your best work! _

_ If you are called for an interview bring samples! _

 

It was simple block of text peppered with dorky clip art doodles with the title in bright red. Kara knew she wasn’t a designer by any means but it was bold and to the point. She printed out two copies on the tiny printer in her office and composed an Instagram post with the same message and a silly picture of Winn from that morning. It was a snapshot of him tossing a lump of dough in the air with a dramatic curled mustache drawn on his face in flour. She ended the post with,

 

_ Maybe with the extra hands Winn can finally open the pizza shop he’s been dreaming about. #mammamia! _

 

However before sharing and posting, she spent some time on the phone with her bank and went through the legal changes of hiring more hands. It took a couple days, but finally one warm May morning she put the new flier up in the center of her cork board and posted her Instagram post of Winn. When he left for CatCo he took the second flier and stopped in  _ Books and Bytes _ to take up their offer to advertise on their own jobs board. Kara sent a box of scones and an apple rose tart with him to leave as a thank you.

 

Later that evening her inbox had sixteen applicants. What surprised her the most was the popularity spike her Instagram had gotten, gaining a couple hundred followers in just a few hours bringing her to a whopping 1,342. It wasn’t hard to track down the source, a private in-app message from  _ Books and Bytes _ and a link to their most recent post was the culprit. The message read  _ Hope you don’t mind. -Jess, _ and Kara tapped on the image thumbnail with her curiosity piqued. It was a photo set of three pictures. The first was a front on shot of the flier Winn had taken. The second was an artfully crafted compositions with one of her gifted scones broken and buttered on a pristine white plate next to a mug and the corner of a book, all laid out precisely on a hardwood table. The third picture caught Kara off guard. It was of a beautiful woman curled up in an old leather armchair reading peacefully, the thick book cradled in her crossed legs while she carefully cut a bite off of the apple rose tart with a fork. She was dressed comfortably in dark red and black.

 

_ Calling young bakers! Our friends next door at Kara’s are looking for some help. See the flier for details and swipe right for their work. Their scones go great with Faulkner. _

_ -L _

 

The end of the message had a short list of hashtags to catch attention in trending topics, but the comments are what caught her attention.

 

_ I love Kara’s! I always stop to get something when I visit you guys. _

 

_ if lena likes them then they must be good _

 

_ Can anyone see what shes eating? _

 

_ Just shared this post with my classmates! Thanks for sharing @booksnbytes! _

 

_ omg @karasbakerync u guys kno @booksnbytes thats so cool _

 

_ I’d spend my whole paycheck on their cheesecakes if i could. _

 

On and on the comments went for a total of eighty-six, way more than the average of five Kara ever got. It was a little overwhelming to receive so much attention. Kara flipped back to the third picture of Lena and studied it. She was slender, her face angular with prominent cheekbones and a sharp jaw. Dark rimmed glasses were perched on a straight slightly aristocratic nose and full lips were pulled slightly down at a corner in concentration as she tried not to spill the pastry onto her book. Dark manicured brows were pulled low and inky black hair fell in silky waves around her shoulders, multiple piercings glinted in her ear in the low light from the lamp next to the table. She looked familiar, and with a quick search on google Kara was ready to slap herself at who  _ Lena _ actually was. Over half of the Instagram comments suddenly made sense.

 

Lena Luthor.

 

_ THE Lena Luthor _ .

 

Daughter of Lionel Luthor, one of the biggest tech giants in the world, highly skilled biochemical engineer, certified genius, one of National City’s most reclusive pseudo-celebrities, and apparently co-owner of  _ Books and Bytes _ with Jess… and she liked Kara’s pastries. Apparently a whole lot.

 

Kara set her phone down carefully on her coffee table after commenting a  _ Thank you for the boost, @booksnbytes! _ , followed by her laptop, and then promptly slid from the couch to the floor and laid there face down.

 

* * *

 

June brought the heat of summer, an explosion of rainbow pastries in the trays, and slew of small multicolored flags pinned to the canvas awning as Pride month began. Kara conducted twelve interviews after narrowing her choices down from nearly fifty applications, and with Winn’s help hired on two promising students from the acclaimed baking school on the North Shore of National City. Nia and Hector fit smoothly into her and Winn’s routine with ease and Kara had wished she had done this a year prior. Kara actually had time to sit down for lunch now and while she did have to take a big chunk of time to train them up to what Winn liked to call  _ Red Shirt Level _ , she could already see the positive improvements. Nia and Hector improved rapidly and by the third week of June they were graduating from muffins and scones up to danishes and croissants.

 

That Thursday when all hands were on deck, Jess wandered in about eleven looking irritated. She stood under the full blast of the air conditioning vent for a long moment before sliding into the back of small line. By the time she reached the counter she looked marginally less irritated and Kara noticed that she had nearly sweated through her shirt.

 

“Jess, are you doing yoga outside or something?” Winn asked as he unloaded a tray of sourdough rounds into the racks.

 

She groaned in frustration and swept the fly-aways up off her forehead. “I might as well be. Our AC went out yesterday around noon and the place is like an oven now.”

 

Kara grimaced and rounded the counter with a cool cup of water, glad that her friend was the only customer in line for the moment. “That sucks. Can I do anything to help?”

 

Jess took the cup with a grateful  _ thanks _ and downed most of it in large gulps. “No, thank you though. In a sense it was a blessing because I’ve been meaning to go through a backlog of biographies and now I have the time… Lena closed us up for the day and has been trying to keep the tech room cool all morning while she waits for the maintenance people to get here. It’s been stressful since the city is experiencing random brownouts in whole neighborhoods. We’re low priority.”

 

Jess paused with a thoughtful expression as she finished her water. “Actually… I know this might be asking too much, but do you have a cooler space in here? She’s working with sensitive equipment and some of it shouldn’t be in prolonged heat.”

 

“No, but my apartment is upstairs and my air conditioning still works.” Kara answered without hesitating and rounded the counter when a group of three neighborhood regulars entered. “If you need to, you can bring some stuff over until things get fixed? I have floor space in my office that you could use.”

 

Kara could see some of the tension drain from Jess’s shoulders as Nia slid up to the counter to take care of the other customers without interrupting Kara. Kara gave the taller girl’s shoulder a friendly pat in thanks.

 

“That would be amazing, thank you Kara.”

 

“Of course! That’s what friends are for. I can send Hector and Winn over to help carry things up when you’re ready.” Kara boxed up some scones and paused, remembering the Instagram post, picked one of the prettier apple rose tarts and placed it into the box.

 

“Here, it’s on the house. Take some drinks from the fridge too before you go.”

 

“Kara, let me pay-”

 

“And here’s my cell. I don’t think I ever gave it to you, so just text me when you’re ready for the boys to come over.” She slid a scrap of paper over next to the pastries with a look that said she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

 

Jess sighed and rolled her eyes, taking the box and Kara’s number. “You’re too nice, you know.”

 

“Let me know if you need anything else?”

 

“I will, thank you Kara. You’re a lifesaver.”

 

Kara couldn’t help the bright grin that nearly split her face and waved goodbye as Jess slipped from the shop with a jingle of the bell.

 

* * *

 

Around noon Kara’s phone buzzed from a number she didn’t recognize and found a message that read  _ Hey, it’s Jess. Thank you again for the help, we’re ready to move things when WInn and Hector are free. _

 

Kara stepped into the small breakroom that doubled as her office and found Winn eating his lunch. “Hey, when you and Hector are done eating can you go help them next door?”

 

“‘Eah, sure. Can I take yer key?” He mumbled around a mouthful of his sandwich.

 

“Top drawer on the left. Thanks, Winn.”

 

He shot her a thumbs up and started looking around in her desk, carefully holding his half eaten sandwich away from the clunky keyboard of the office computer. Kara retreated back to the store front and saved Jess’s number into her phone before shooting a message back to her.

 

_ They’re finishing up their lunch and will be over soon! _

 

Before she knew it, Winn and Hector were out the door. She caught sight of them a moment later each with a box in their arms as they passed in front of the bakery and disappeared around the corner to the wrought iron steps that led up to her front door. It wasn’t long before she could hear footsteps above her head. Kara easily held down the fort in the bakery, catching a glimpse of them as they shuffles boxes from  _ Books and Bytes _ to her home office.They returned half an hour later sweating through their shirts and stood in front of the open refrigerator for a few minutes until Kara fussed at them. She didn’t have time to worry about the situation next door for long and got swept up into the rest of the afternoon, taking care of special orders and walking Nia through some more elaborate piping techniques. She stayed in touch with Jess through the rest of the day, sending Winn and Hector back over around four to return the equipment that had been moved after Jess gave her the all clear. Jess came back over to the bakery around five looking tired but relieved and still a little damp.

 

“You survived!” Kara exclaimed and let her in out of the heat.

 

“ _ Barely _ . The shop is still a sauna but at least it’s cooler than it was. I just wanted to thank you again for all of your help.”

 

“Yeah of course! I know we’re closed but do you need anything? Another drink?” Kara asked, untying the apron from around her waist and shifting around Hector who was wiping down the tables.

 

“No, thank you. You’ve done more than enough for us today. But I did want to propose something to you.”

 

“A proposal? You’ll have to buy me dinner first.” Kara leaned on the side of the glass counter and adjusted her glasses with a teasing grin, amusement thick in her voice and Jess glared at her in a deadpan expression. Kara cackled.

 

“More like a thank you, you nerd. We have a small coffee area but haven’t been able to find any kind of snacks that the patrons like to eat consistently. We actually noticed that if they do bring anything in, it’s from here. We’d like to buy a small batch for every day, if that’s alright with you?”

 

“Oh! Uh, yeah, sure! That’s very kind of you two, thank you.” Kara shifted, a blush crawling up her neck.

 

Jess grinned. “I was hoping you’d say yes. I’ll talk to Lena and be in touch about details?”

 

“Of course, that sound great. Wow. This is  _ cool _ .”

 

Jess laughed. “We like to help our friends too, Kara. But I’ll get out of your hair so you can go home.”

 

“Agh, ‘c’mere.” Kara stepped forward and pulled Jess into a brief gentle hug. “Now go home and soak in a tub of cold water.”

 

“Do you think my landlord will hate me if I try to pull a  _ shape of water _ with my shower? I could probably stop the drain up with a towel.”

 

Kara couldn’t help the belly laugh and walked her friend to the door. “You could always try, but think of the water damage.”

 

“Ugh, you’re right. Cold shower it is. I’ll see you later, Kara.”

 

“Bye Jess.”

 

Kara locked the front up again and shooed Nia and Hector out for the day, then sat down with Winn in the office and filled him in while they planned their recipes for the following week.

 

* * *

 

Jess came in the following Saturday morning with a thin manila folder and a bounce in her step. Kara left Nia and Winn to man the counter and rounded the corner, with a curious grin.

 

“The details, as promised.” She announced quietly and held out the folder.

 

Kara took it and gestured towards the back. “Do you have a minute?”

 

Jess nodded and followed Kara back into the small office, perching on the chair she was offered. “Kara? This may seem like a shallow question, but why do you do what you do? Why do you bake? I realized I’ve never asked you.”

 

“I…” Kara sat back and crossed her legs thoughtfully, feeling a little wistful. “My mother, my biological mother… she, um, was a baker too. I grew up in a home that always had fresh cookies and good bread.”

 

Kara sat quietly for a moment, a frown pulling at her face as she mulled over her next words. Jess waited patiently.

 

“I lost my parents when I was thirteen. A, um, car crash. So. Baking makes me feel closer to her. To what I had.” She looked back to Jess with a glimmer of a smile. “That’s why I bake.”

 

Jess nodded quietly in understanding. “Thank you for telling me.”

 

“Oh-of course. You can totally tell Lena too. If you want. It’s okay.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yeah! I think she should have the right to know what kind of mess she’s getting into.” Kara forced the topic back to more shallow waters with a tight grin. “Okay. So you have a thing for me?” She gestured with the folder.

 

“Ah. Yes, we do. Before you look at the numbers, try not to freak out.”

 

Kara frowned slightly in confusion and sank into her chair, now holding the folder a little more carefully. “Well now I’m worried.”

 

“Don’t be. You saved us a lot of headache and Lena thinks that this is more than fair.”

 

Kara eyed her suspiciously and flipped open the folder, quickly reading through the two page contract. When she got to the second page detailing fees her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

 

“ _ Jess. _ ”

 

“I told you not to freak out.”

 

“This is  _ ludicrous! _ It has to be a typo-”

 

“It’s not.”

 

“It’s ten times what I normally ask for!”

 

“We know.”

 

“ _ JESS _ .”

 

“ _ Kara. _ ”

 

Kara tried to stare her down, she really did. Eventually she sighed and rubbed at her forehead.

 

“For the record I think it’s too much. But if I can’t sway you down to a lower fee then you can’t stop me from including extra here and there.”

 

“That’s reasonable. Kara. The equipment you helped keep cool was worth more than I could make in ten years. Trust me when I say that you are literally a  _ lifesaver _ .”

 

Kara looked up with an even deeper frown on her face, a crinkle forming in between her brows. “I’m not sure I follow.”

 

Jess looked at her with a little disbelief. “You  _ do _ know that Lena runs a small personal lab in the back, right?”

 

“Yeah, for computer and phone repairs… right?” Kara became more confused when Jess’s brows began to raise.

 

Jess continued to stare at her in confusion. “Have… have you not googled Lena like half the planet?”

 

“Only to figure out who she was a little while ago, I didn’t want to seem nosy if I… ever… uh, met her…” Kara’s face grew redder as Jess’s brow raised impossibly higher.

 

“...did you not know she’s using her own time to work on cancer research?”

 

If there was ever a better impression of a fish on land, they would have a hard time beating Kara at that moment. Jess continued with a little hesitation, but still looking a little bemused.

 

“Yes, she does do minor phone and computer repairs, but a lot of her time is spent researching. The majority of equipment she uses needs to be in a climate controlled environment, and luckily your apartment was acceptable for a short storage time. With you being willing to help us, she only lost one day of work as opposed to how many if she hadn’t been able to move things around.”

 

Kara could only nod numbly, so Jess continued.

 

“You may have thought your actions small, but you helped more than you realize. That’s why she insists on this amount. Besides, this isn’t just covering the flat cost, it’s making sure that you don’t miss out on any profit and risk losing business to us. It’s a fair safety net.” Jess tapped the paper and gave Kara a firm look.

 

“But it’s  _ so much _ .”

 

Jess bit her lip as if bracing herself. “If you’re worried about being over-compensated, don’t. You do understand she comes from a family of multi-billionaires, right? This is a small price to pay. Trust me when I say I had to talk her out of her original number.”

 

“...don’t tell me. I might faint.”

 

Jess picked up a pen and uncapped it before holding it out to Kara. “I won’t because I nearly did. But please accept this? I know it’s a lot even if she doesn’t. But we  _ both _ feel it’s fair.”

 

Kara sighed deeply and deflated, accepting the pen and signing and dating the bottom of the contract next to a  _ Lena Kieran Luthor _ .

 

“For the record, I still think this is way too much. Thank you.”

 

“Try not to dwell on it.” Jess winked and took back the folder and rose to her feet, Kara followed suit. “I’ll bring you a notarized copy soon for your tax records.”

 

“Take your time. Can I get you anything while you’re here?” Kara led her out of the office to the storefront, still a little lightheaded.

 

“Yes, actually. Some scones and an apple rose tart. Lena seems to like those the most.”

 

Kara nodded and gathered the requested order quickly, not even batting an eye when Jess paid with a fifty and stuffed the ridiculous amount of change into the tip jar.

 

“I’ll text you later when we decide on what to order from you.”

 

Kara watched her go, bewildered, and grabbed Winn suddenly by the shoulder. He startled with a yelp and juggled the order he was filling.

 

“Don’t freak out, but we can get a new mixer soon.”

 

* * *

 

The following week Kara began adjusting her schedule to accommodate the new daily orders for  _ Books and Bytes _ . They planned to start with blueberry muffins and plain scones, then based off of how they sold would introduce more flavors or other pastries. It wasn’t a huge adjustment, and it even gave them a little extra to offer in-store. And if they didn’t sell, they’d join the pile of daily rejects to go to the halfway house in the neighborhood.

 

True to Kara’s prediction, they were indeed able to afford a new high-end industrial oversized mixer courtesy of the new business deal with Lena and Jess. They spent most of the afternoon _oohing_ and _aahing_ over it after Winn set it up. Kara took a candid of Winn, Nia, and Hector around it and posted it to Instagram with _#upgrade_ _#winnsized_ as the caption. She sent the post in-app to _@booksnbytes_ with a _We’ve got a new baby thanks to you guys!_ and hoped she wasn’t overstepping. The next thing she knew, _@booksnbytes_ had liked and commented with a heart eyes emoji, signed with an _-L_.

 

Kara nearly laid face down on the kitchen floor.

 

* * *

 

The rest of the summer was relatively uneventful and Kara enjoyed coaching Nia and Hector with Winn’s help. As the new school year approached Kara sat them down and had a mentorly talk about how it  _ was _ great to have their help but that their education came first. If their schedules worked out in a way that they wouldn’t be able to come in to help open the bakery at least three times a week then she needed to know if they were willing to come in later during the day, or if ending their employment would be better suited for their needs. She hated to give the an ultimatum, but Kara understood the importance of rest and making sure there was adequate time for school. They assured her that they would let her know as soon as they could.

 

In late July, Hector approached her with a hangdog expression, informing her that he got stuck in a required 8am class three times a week. He also didn’t know if he would be able to dedicate the time Kara wanted around his senior classes. Kara felt bad and told him to come in when he could while he adjusted to classes and made a final decision, and then prepared to put out a call for employment. Just in case.

 

Jess still visited a few times a week for scones and an odd pastry or two, telling Kara that these had been specifically for her and Lena the entire time. Kara snuck in an extra pan au chocolat when Jess wasn’t looking because she felt so giddy.

 

In August, Hector sadly informed Kara that he needed to step down. He felt it wasn’t fair to her to keep him on her payroll when he could barely get in to work at the bakery. Kara understood, and told him that if he needed a reference for future jobs then to just ask.

 

* * *

 

One morning in late August, Jess walked in with a warm breeze and looked around.

 

“Did Hector have to quit? I haven’t seen him in a while.” She asked as she approached the counter.

 

The bakery was in it’s mid-morning lull and a couple of the tables were occupied by studying students and their laptops. Kara looked up from the tray of danishes she was preparing at the sound of the question and spied her friend. She put down the bowl of raspberry filler and approached the counter as she wiped her hands on her apron.

 

“His class schedule was too demanding. We were sad to see him go.” She shrugged with a sad smile.

 

“Ah. That’s always hard. Well, if you hear from him, let him know that Lena and I could always use an extra pair of hands in the afternoon? We keep saying that we will and then we never do.”

 

“Of course, I can text him this week if that’s alright?”

 

“Yes, that would be great! Oh, my order. Um. Could I get just two apple rose tarts today?”

 

Kara quirked a brow at the change in Jess’s order but scooped up two fresh pastries into a small box.

 

“Tired of scones?”

 

“Well…” Jess glanced over her shoulder at the room before turning back to Kara with a conspiratorial look. “Lena told me the other day that they were her favorite, and I quote, “ _ just as good if not better than some of the pastries at the Luther holiday parties” _ . Now if that’s not a compliment then I don’t know  _ what _ is. So I decided it was time I found out what the fuss was about. I’m sure it’s going to be amazing.”

 

“... _ oh _ .” Kara murmured, feeling a blush crawl up her neck. That seemed to happen just about every time Jess mentioned the other woman and Kara couldn’t help feel like a giddy schoolgirl.

 

She ignored the suspicious look Jess gave her as she rang up the order and decided that she needed to call her sister later. Feelings were happening over a woman she had never personally met and that was something that Kara was  _ not _ prepared for.

 

Even with her attempt at keeping her will as hard as iron, Kara still took a break and went to lay face down on her office floor. She only got up when Nia came in five minutes later and swept across her back with with the broom and a  _ There, there, Kara. _

 

* * *

 

Fall arrived with a crisp breeze and the smell of creeping spookiness at the end of September. And with it, Kara brought in a new part time baker, Julia. She was an older student, following a childhood dream of becoming an accomplished baker like her grandmother. Her sudden willingness to pursue her dream stemmed from an auto accident that nearly killed her three years prior. She was upfront but not rudely blunt over what she wanted to achieve, and Kara liked that truthfulness about her. Julia brought a warm and caring presence with her wherever she went and Kara appreciated the intelligence she brought to baking. Winn and Nia loved her instantly, welcoming her into the fold without a ripple of discomfort.

 

A few days after Julia started Jess came in and greeted her with a warm hug. “You got the job!”

 

“I did!” She leaned in close to Jess and shot a wink to Kara who was watching the interaction. “The boss is really nice.”

 

“Too nice.”

 

“I can hear you.” Kara rolled her eyes and bit back a grin, dusting flour from her hands.

 

Jess laughed and let Julia get back behind the counter. “I only speak the truth. Could I please get two blueberry muffins and an apple rose tart?”

 

“You most certainly can.” Julia exclaimed and loaded her up with her order and checked her out.

 

“Thanks, Jules. Will we see you later? We haven’t visited in weeks.”

 

“Text me.”

 

Jess waved goodbye and was gone with a gust of the brisk breeze. Julia caught Kara looking at her about to ask a question and grinned.

 

“We’re old college friends. She sent me the information to the job opening.”

 

Kara made a noise of understanding and nodded emphatically. “Jess is a good egg. You should keep her.”

 

“She is. And I plan to.”

 

“Good. Now help me cut and twist up these croissants while we don’t have anyone at the counter.”

 

Julia snorted a laugh and did as directed. A small flicker of thoughtfulness passed over her dark brown eyes, but it was gone before Kara looked back.

 

* * *

 

October blew in with an early frost on the glass front of  _ Kara’s _ and a tray of cupcakes decorated with skulls and pumpkins in a light buttercream frosting. Pan au chocolates had a chocolate piping of a single small bat on the top. Pumpkin muffins and bread became a more prominent staple and Kara decided to let Nia loose with a few concoctions on the weekends. The cinnamon and pumpkin and spice were turned up to eleven from her antics and Kara could feel it saturating everything she touched. She only put her foot down when she proposed an entire glass front of pumpkin  _ everything _ in a fit of excitement. Kara enjoyed her enthusiasm for her favorite holiday, but she felt like her customers wouldn’t be as thrilled.

 

The first saturday was sunny with a nippy breeze, and Kara decided to go out and sweep the dead leaves that had collected during the day. She pulled on a thick oversized cable knit sweater she kept in her office and grabbed the broom from the backroom. Kara called out, letting Julia know that she would be just outside. The wind tugged at the sweater and her high ponytail, wrapping the apron loosely around her legs. She fought back a shiver and got to work, glad to have the extra layer and quickly set about corralling the leaves piling up at the front of her bakery. With every movement of her arms the cozy smells of spice and yeast wafted up from the sweater. She heard the door jingle behind her and paused to look, returning to her work when she didn’t see anyone.

 

“Kara, dear, hello!”

 

Kara looked up again a few minutes later in the direction of the old warbly voice thick with a far eastern accent and a bright grin lit her face up.

 

“Elizaveta! How are you?”

 

An elderly woman trundled up to Kara, a bonnet tied under her wrinkled sagging chin and her rolley cart in tow and full of groceries. She released her hold on her cart and gestured with gnarled hands for Kara to come closer. Kara heard the door jingle again behind her but was too happy to see her old friend to bother checking on who it was.

 

“Give me hug,  _ solnishko _ . It has been long time.”

 

Kara laughed and set the broom aside, bending at the waist to give the elderly woman a warm hug. The stitching of the colorful embroidery on the shoulder of her heavy wool coat pressed into her cheek. “I’m glad to see you out and about again. You had us all worried when we heard that you fell last week.”

 

“ _ Agh. _ Is nothing important. I bounce like basketball.”

 

Another jingle came from behind her and this time Winn appeared at Kara’s elbow. “Elizaveta, still beating back the demons?”

 

A loud jovial laugh burst forth from the old woman and she gestured for him to hug her as well, which he did with enthusiasm.

 

“Winslow,  _ lapochka _ , always fighting.”

 

“You know me.” He grinned and shrugged. “Here, this is for you. Fresh from the oven.”

 

“Oh! Sweet boy, so kind.” Elizaveta gently took the offered loaf of fresh sourdough and tucked it safely into the top of her cart. “This why you my  _ favorites _ .”

 

Kara laughed and crossed her arms in front of her chest as the wind blew through her sweater. “And you are one of ours. Give me a call sometime, I remember you said you wanted to teach  _ pirozki _ and  _ vatrushka _ . I’d love to learn and I bet we could round up some culinary students too.”

 

“Yes! I call you. Friday. Two o’clock.”

 

“I’ll make sure to be available.”

 

“Good! Bye bye, Kara. Winslow!”

 

“Goodbye, Elizaveta!”

 

“See you soon!”

 

The little old woman took up her cart again and was off with a wave, the two wheels squeaking merrily as she went. They stood and watched her for a moment and then turned to get back to work. As Kara picked the broom back up Winn hesitated and chewed on his lip, looking a bit smug about something.

 

“Spit it out, Schott.” Kara raised a brow at him as she started to sweep again.

 

“Oh I’m just thinking about how if you had turned around while Elizaveta was here you would have seen Lena Luthor.”

 

The broom hit one of the chairs with a loud  _ clang _ and Winn bit back a laugh when Kara’s face lit up like a stop light. “...okay, Danvers. Looks like I just won myself five bucks from Nia.”

 

Kara looked threateningly at him and Winn slipped back into the bakery with what she could only describe as a cackle and a  _ PAY UP, NERD _ . She could hear a faint  _ NO _ through the glass and Kara debated on making them scrub out the ovens that evening.

 

* * *

 

“ _ No _ , Alex. I’m fine with doing that for you but I don’t have the space here and I don’t want to risk contamination.”

 

A leather clad woman with a sporty jacket and short dark auburn hair shaved on the sides rolled her eyes. “I said you could make them at my place, not here.”

 

“Yes, I heard. But they’d still be here in my trays.  _ Contamination _ .” Kara pointed menacingly.

 

Alex slouched with a frown against the counter. “You’re no fun. But fine.”

 

Kara eyed her sister with amusement as she continued to sweep the floor clean after a long day. “Oh I am  _ fun _ . I just… work a lot more than I used to. I’m not at a regular nine to five job anymore which makes it kinda hard to see you.”

 

“I know, I know. I shouldn’t prod you, it’s not fair. And to be honest, I never kept the best hours either. Double whammy.” She shrugged with a  _ what can you do _ air.

 

“Yeah… but it’s okay. But if you really want some of my baking at the DEO, I’d be happy to provide regular old munchies. Chocolate chip cookies or something.”

 

Alex brightened and straightened up. “Hell yeah, let’s do that instead. Then I can snack while I work. And  _ no _ contamination of your precious trays.”

 

Kara turned her nose up in false haughtiness. “Thank you.”

 

“Whatever. C’mere.” Alex rolled her eyes, a teasing grin tugging at her mouth.

 

Kara wrapped her sister up in a warm hug and squeezed her tight. She felt Alex hum against her and pulled away after planting a kiss to the side of her head.

 

“One day I’m gonna bring a sweatshirt here to soak up all these good bread smells.”

 

“Give me one and I’ll make sure it does.”

 

“Alright. Catch you later, Kar. Don’t do something I wouldn’t.”

 

“That won’t be hard. Wear your helmet!”

 

“Always do!”

 

Winn poked his head out from the back room as Nia wandered out from the pantry in curiosity, the bells on the door chiming quietly as Alex strode out of the shop and back to her motorcycle.

 

“Is she gone?”

 

“Who was that?”

 

Kara shot Winn an annoyed look, “Yes, and if you’d just pay her back for that beer you’d be fine.” She turned to Nia, “My sister, Alex.”

 

“She’s cute.”

 

“She’s too old for you. Also. No. Ew. That’s my sister.”

 

Nia rolled her eyes and shrugged nonchalantly. “Whatever. I have a date tomorrow anyways.”

 

Winn  _ oooh’d _ like a school boy and Nia flipped him off with her hands full of spice containers. She organized her ingredients on one of the work tables and brushed a wisp of brown hair off her forehead.

 

“What’s the DEO?”

 

Winn heaved a mixing bowl onto the work table and began portioning out sticky dough for the cinnamon buns they were about to assemble for the morning. “Department of Edible Operations. She owns a medical dispensary that works with an organization to reintegrate people back into the workforce. It’s an effort to get rid of the stigma behind marijuana as well as provide jobs for people who can’t find one due to incarceration or other issues.”

 

“I thought you said she was a  _ doctor _ .”

 

Kara wandered over, flipping through a rolodex of cookies. “She is! Alex is a military cardiac surgeon and runs the DEO on the side. She’s working alongside neurosurgeon J’onn J’onzz to make medical marijuana a more accepted and natural treatment for pain. It’s a lot safer side effect-wise, and the risk of addiction is nearly nonexistent compared to opioids.”

 

Nia drummed her fingers on the tabletop. “Huh. Interesting.”

 

“Yeah it’s pretty cool. She jokes that Kara’s baking would give her a boost over other sellers, but it would be impossible to keep our regular work here clean. We’d have to have a whole new location, permits, licenses, the works. It’s not feasible.” Winn piped up with a shrug.

 

“So, instead we’re going to sell them cookies.” Kara set the rolodex down in front of Nia. “Pick one and we can make that this weekend alongside your experiment.”

 

Nia grinned. “If only my mom knew I was making cookies for stoners at my college internship.”

 

Winn winked. “Just say you’re providing a service to the medical community.”

 

“Okay, Okay. Let’s get done so we can go home. Chop chop.” Kara hustled them along, feeling more like a parent than a boss.

 

* * *

 

Friday was a miserable mess of steely sheets of rain and biting wind. Kara was glad she had worn her wool socks and old leather work boots that day since customers kept letting the chill in with every swing of the door. Her morning had been particularly hectic with Winn at CatCo and Nia and Julia were both attending a midterm. In just a few months she had forgotten how hard it was to run the bakery by herself, but quickly fell back into her old brisk rhythm. She knew she looked a wreck with her hair up in a messy bun, the sleeves of her flannel rolled past her elbows and paled down her front with a fine layer of flour. Her apron was stained with fruit filling and chocolate, and the toes of her boots speckled with even more flour. Back and forth from the kitchen to the front counter and register she went, whipping up more pastries and kneading loaves in the short lulls she got in between customers. It was barely eleven and she was already wondering if a fourth cup of coffee would be to much. Kara held out her hands and noticed they had a bit of a tremor to them. Maybe she'd hold off on the coffee.

 

The door jingled while Kara was loading a couple trays into the oven and she called a  _ Be right with you! _ over her shoulder. In her haste, her knuckle brushed against the top of a rack and she jerked back at the scorching flare of pain.

 

“ _ Jesus Mother Fff-fudge. OW. _ ”

 

Kara grimaced and stuck the red irritated skin into her mouth in reflex, shifting the last tray into the oven and twisting the timer on the countertop. She strode quickly to the sink and ran the water as cold as it could go, sticking her hand under the stream for a couple seconds. Once the biting, radiating heat subsided a fraction she washed her hands and jogged to the front counter while finding a clean-ish spot on her apron to dry her hands.

 

“Hi, sorry for the wait! What can I get you?”

 

If the world could slow down like a cliched hollywood movie, Kara would claim that she just experienced it. She almost thought she saw sparkles. No, that was rainwater. Close enough.

 

Standing at the counter looking slightly damp and bundled up to the ears in a huge scarf and black wool overcoat, was her next door neighbor, Lena Luthor. She looked a little grumpy with her brow pulled down low and her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. Lena was peering through the glass at the pastries with a thoughtful expression and looked up suddenly at the sound of Kara’s voice. Kara didn’t think she had ever seen eyes that green before. She heard her teeth audibly click together when she mustered enough manners to close her mouth.

 

Lena was definitely prettier in person and far more elegant than any of the pictures  _ Books and Bytes _ posted on their social media. She had a small but noticeable scar just under her right eyebrow and a beauty mark peeked out from behind her scarf in the center of her neck. Faint freckles danced across her cheeks and Kara swore her eyes were a green-gold mossy emerald. Kara’s brain kicked back into gear with a jolt when her customer introduced herself.

 

“Oh! Um, hi. I’m Lena, from next door.” The frown fell away into a smooth professional mask and her awkward nervousness was only betrayed by the way she pointed in a general direction to her left.

 

Kara reached across the counter and offered her hand to shake, ears buzzing at the sound of her low alto voice. “I’m Kara! It’s nice to finally meet you. In person, I mean.”

 

Lena took it in her gloved hand and gave it a polite shake. Kara was surprised at the firm grip. “It’s nice to meet you too. I missed you the last time I was in here.”

 

“Oh-Right! Winn told me you stopped by, I’m glad I didn’t miss you this time.” She smiled, injecting her genuine happiness into her tone. Kara could feel something warm bubbling up in her chest and couldn’t stop the way her heart raced. A small voice in the back of her head warned her not to get her hopes up but Kara wanted to ignore it.

 

“Yes, well I didn’t want to intrude on you and Mrs. Bychkov. It looked like you hadn’t seen each other in a while.”

 

Kara felt a blush crawl up her neck and shrugged helplessly, noting that Lena had known who the old woman was as well. “We were a little worried about her after we heard she fell last week, but apparently she  _ bounce like basketball _ . She reminds me of my grandmother. It’s always nice to see her.” She reached for a board box, stemming the flow of her babbling. “But anyways. What can I get you today? Regular order?”

 

“Just a rose tart, please. Jess is on vacation for the next two weeks and I don’t need half a dozen scones to myself.” Lena answered, already pulling her wallet out.

 

Kara nodded and picked up the appropriate sized box and selected what she thought was one of the prettiest on the tray. She may have also sprinkled a little extra powdered sugar on top when Lena wasn’t looking.

 

“That’s right, I forgot she said she was going home to Manila to see her mother.” She closed up the box and laid a couple paper napkins on the lid. “That’ll be four dollars even.”

 

Lena handed her a crisp five and murmured a  _ keep the change _ with the hint of a smile. Kara fought down another blush and nodded as the other woman picked up her order and backed towards the door.

 

“Thank you. Come back and see us soon, Lena.”

 

Lena smiled a little wider and waved before venturing back out into the rain and disappearing next door. Kara blatantly ignored the sniggering from a table of students that regularly visited. They were watching her be a flustered mess and she turned back to her work with a scowl, shooting off a text of  _ im in emotional girl trouble pls come by for pizza tonight _ to Alex. It wasn’t until a few minutes later when she caught sight of her reflection in a metal bowl that she realized there was a large smear of flour across her forehead. Kara groaned in embarrassment and tried not to lie down on her kitchen floor. With her new boost of adrenaline from Lena’s visit Kara decided that, no, she didn’t need that fourth cup of coffee.

 

Oh boy.

 

She was in trouble.

 

* * *

 

“Will you get up? Stop being so dramatic, you slug.”

 

“ _ But she’s so pretty and I’m a mess.” _ Came from somewhere on the floor in front of the couch.

 

“You’re not so bad to look at either.”

 

“ _ I had flour all over my face.” _

 

“You  _ always _ have flour on your face.”

 

Kara rolled over and sat up looking disheveled, shooting a glare to her sister sitting cross legged on the couch gnawing on a slice of pepperoni pizza.

 

“You’re not helping.”

 

Alex rolled her eyes and set the crust of her pizza down. “Well you’re being a brat.”

 

Kara sighed deeply and frowned as she reached for her near-empty beer bottle. She drained it and climbed tiredly to her feet before collapsing back into the couch. “I just don’t want to be creepy.”

 

Alex frowned and set her plate onto the coffee table and took a pull on her own bottle. After a moment she shifted and studied her sulking sister.

 

“Flour on your face does  _ not _ make you creepy, you goob. I haven’t seen you this worked up over someone since that boy in college.”

 

“But I actually  _ knew _ James for a really long time, Alex. That made  _ sense _ .” She picked moodily at the soggy label.

 

“This doesn’t.”

 

Alex sat quietly, waiting for her to say something else.

 

“Besides, she’s way out of my league.”

 

“Karaaa…”

 

“No, Alex, I’m serious! Have you  _ seen _ her?! She’s a literal genius, probably runs in social circles with movie stars and celebrities, and did I mention  _ out of my league _ ?” She shot Alex a wide eyed-look that fell into a self-deprecating smile that was closer to a grimace. “No way she’d look at me, little baker and clod extraordinaire.”

 

Kara was suddenly jolted out of her spiral when a couch pillow hit her square in the face, smooshing her glasses uncomfortably into the bridge of her nose.

 

“ _ OW. The FUCK?!” _

 

“Stoppit. I hate it when you talk about yourself like that.” Alex bit out, hitting her two more times for good measure. “If you like her, then you like her. And if she doesn’t like you in any capacity then she’s more idiot than genius.”

 

“Aleeeex-” Kara whined as the pillow hit her again.

 

“Shut it. You  _ know _ I’m right. Now get your head out of your butt.”

 

Kara dodged the next hit and hauled herself up off the couch, the bottle with a mangled label clutched in her hands. “I’m  _ trying _ . Now  _ you _ stoppit.”

 

Alex threw the pillow with a huff and hit her in the knees. She slouched back into the couch with her pizza again and gave Kara a no-bullshit look.

 

“Fine. Pine after her. But you’re being ridiculous over nothing.”

 

Kara grumbled and shuffled into her kitchen, her thick socks sliding on the linoleum. “Do you want another beer? Or, like, what do you want us to make for the DEO next?” She tried to dodge out of the conversation and tossed her empty bottle into her recycling crate.

 

“Sure, but bring me some water. I still have to drive back. And don’t think I’m forgetting about this whole Lena thing!”

 

Kara went into her fridge and poked around a stack of tupperware full of leftovers and fished out two more bottles. She popped off the caps with the blunt edge of a table knife and shuffle-slid back to the couch, setting the new drinks down before ducking back in for glasses of water. As much as she’d like to get buzzed, she still had to open the bakery in the morning.

 

“Maybe we can try being friends.” She ventured as she sank back down into the deep cushions.

 

Alex uncrossed her legs and poked at Kara’s thigh with her toes. “It’s worth a shot. Don’t stop yourself before you even try. And if it doesn’t, then maybe you have a new friend.”

 

“With my luck I’m probably crushing on a straight girl.”

 

Alex guffawed loudly and took a bite of her pizza, looking far too smug for Kara’s liking. “I don’t think you need to worry about that.”

 

Kara missed her mouth with her water glass. “Wait… what?”

 

Alex laughed harder until she had to spit her half-masticated food out.

 

* * *

 

After Alex left, Kara sat down and looked up Lena online again, fighting against her  _ don’t be creepy _ rule. She only had a minor freakout when Lena’s wiki page detailed the charity work for the multiple queer organizations she supported and noted her bisexuality.

 

Okay. Maybe it was a major freakout. Kara still threw her pillows around the room and screeched regardless. She texted Alex all of her memes about screaming.

 

* * *

 

Every other three or four days Lena would come wandering into the bakery around eleven looking like an odd mix of frazzled business woman and goth science nerd. She always swept into the small shop in a swirl of black or charcoal in brands far too expensive for Kara to even dream about. She always ordered one apple rose tart, always paid with a crisp five dollar bill, and always spared a moment to ask after business. After the fourth time she breezed in and out, Winn sauntered up to Kara’s side and gave her a  _ look _ that screamed  _ girl please _ .

 

Kara frowned and pointed a finger at him threateningly. “No. Don’t do that.”

 

“I didn’t do anything. Except be suffocated by your obvious attraction to her.”

 

Kara blushed and stalked back into the kitchen. “Fine. You take the counter for the next hour.”

  
  


Sunday afternoon rolled around and the elderly Elizaveta was pottering around  _ Kara’s _ as she prepared herself for the workshop. She had Kara, Winn, Nia, and Julia all helping her and she was happily telling them what to do, all four of them in matching navy blue tees with  _ Kara’s _ printed on the left chest in white. They were expecting a full house of ten and had formed one long table in the middle of the seating area from all of the smaller wooden tables. It had been draped with clean white table cloths and sets of utensils while dry ingredients lined the center. The four of them had already gone through the process of learning how to make  _ pirozki _ and  _ vatrushka _ the weekend before and would be wandering the table acting as assistants today. They had fresh examples out on a table filled with other various refreshments. When everything was set up and ready Kara and Winn started snapping pictures to share later, and Kara took some portraits of Elizaveta.

 

Around quarter til two, people started filtering in. Four culinary students, three young mothers mothers from the neighborhood, and an elderly couple who were obviously friends with Elizaveta trickeled in over the next couple minutes. Kara was explaining that she and Winn would be taking candids during the workshop as she was handing out aprons a couple minutes to the hour when the door jingled one more time and Lena Luthor swept into the bakery in a swirl of black and plaid. Elizaveta exclaimed a greeting of  _ Lena! Zviozdochka moya! _ and pottered over to her, jabbering away in what Kara could only understand as a continuation of her happy exclamation. What really threw Kara for a loop was the bright smile that pulled at the dark red lipstick and crinkled bright green eyes. Her mouth fell open a little as she answered Elizaveta’s greeting in flawless russian. Nia walked past her and subtly whispered at Kara to  _ close your mouth, you useless gay _ .

 

Kara snapped out of her apparently obvious daze and finished passing out the aprons, handing the last one to Lena after she shucked her coat and purse. She swallowed down her nerves. It was just Lena. Lena Luthor. A very pretty Lena Luthor that looked entirely too adorable and cozy in an oversized green checkered flannel. And why she was wearing black ripped jeans in cold weather was beyond her. But she was also sporting army boots and her large glasses and oh  _ god _ Kara was a goner. Lena looked like she was one of those cool women in 90’s romcom movies and she was making it  _ work _ .

 

“Hey! I didn’t know you were coming today… it’s a nice surprise.”

 

Lena took the apron with a more subdued but just as warm smile. “Hi! I thought Jess told you?”

 

Kara shook her head as Lena tied the apron around her waist and began rolling up her sleeves to expose slender forearms.

 

“Ah, well I told her to...” Lena frowned in confusion and stepped up to the table. “But anyways. I like to bake in my nonexistent free time-” She turned with a conspiratorial look towards Kara, “-not anywhere near your level. But Elizaveta wanted me to come to her workshop and you know you can’t say no to her.”

 

“You bake?” Was all Kara could manage to ask, her mind going a million times a minute and her mouth unable to catch up.

 

Lena arched a brow and smirked. “I’ll have you know I make a mean tollhouse cookie.”

 

Kara snorted a laugh and pretended to whisper behind her hand out of the corner of her mouth. “If you ever want some pointers you know where to find me.”

 

“Okay! We ready? We ready. Time for baking!” Elizaveta crowed and held a wooden spoon triumphantly to a chorus of enthused cheers.

 

The workshop went off without a hitch, everyone easily keeping up thanks to the help from the bakers from  _ Kara’s _ . Winn, Nia, and Julia were roving assistants for the entire three hours while Kara bounced back and forth around the entire room for Elizaveta. At one point Kara passed by Winn chatting with Lena about some kind of technology she had helped pioneer and she tried not to be jealous. She didn’t know anything about engineering, but she had done really well in higher collegiate science courses and felt like she could have a conversation about… something. Kara brushed it off for the time being and happily spent the next couple minutes helping the elderly Bolshivics with stuffing their  _ pirozhki _ while Elizaveta chattered away to the eager culinary students. Throughout the entire workshop, Kara and Winn were juggling their phones to find the best candids of their temporary students working.

 

First the  _ pirozhki _ were assembled and whisked away on a tray, and then after a short break the simpler  _ vatrushka _ followed (both with and without raisins in the quark filling, some even with cherry). The bakery soon smelled of sweet pastry and melting fruits and cheeses, adding a level of comfort and coziness to the shop full of people. They milled about with mugs of warm cider and coffee, picking over the leftover baked goods that had hadn’t sold that morning. Kara was sucking cinnamon and cream cheese icing from her thumb and holding the warm mug to her chest when Lena slid up next to her.

 

“This is really something special, Kara. How often do you hold these?”

 

“Oh! Um. Well we try to hold one once a month but it can be kinda hard to find people sometimes.”

 

Lena cradled her mug of black coffee under her chin and frowned. Kara tried not to look at the dusting of flour on her glasses and nose. “Are you not finding people because…?”

 

“Mainly scheduling. I use my connections through the culinary school on the North Shore to offer secondary workshops when they bring in visiting bakers or alumni, but it can be tricky during the summer.”

 

“Ah. Well that makes sense.”

 

Kara nodded and tried to think of something else to say, but was saved when Lena pointed to the small section of awards and newspaper articles framed on the wall adjacent to the register.

 

“I admit I might have looked up your accomplishments. It’s impressive how much attention you’ve gained for only being operational for three years.”

 

Kara blushed and hid her smile in her mug of cider. “I’m just doing what I love.”

 

Lena gave her a look that she knew Kara was playing down her compliment politely, and doubled down. “And you’re very good at it.”

 

Kara blushed deeper and murmured a  _ thank you _ , her obvious reaction to the compliment finally pulling another warm smile from Lena. Kara was about to keep the conversation going when her employees came back into the sitting area to cheers holding hot baking sheets full of their pastries. Kara jumped into action and helped clear off areas for the new goods, exclaiming that  _ these look amazing, you guys! _ She snapped a slew of attractive pictures while they cooled, and and then a few action shots while people began lifting their creations onto their plates to eat. They found spaces to rest on chairs and the floor, listening to Elizaveta as she looked over everyone’s work and told them stories about her childhood.

 

The last twenty minutes were spent socializing and asking questions that  _ Kara’s _ team helped Elizaveta field. Kara eventually found herself seated on the floor next to Lena and chattered away about some of her baking mishaps, really getting into the one where she had forgotten she left some bread dough out to rise and by the time she remembered it was nearing the size of a yoga ball. Or the time Winn accidentally dropped a fifty-pound bag of flour in their early days and the explosion was way more dramatic than they had been expecting. Winn responded to that story by sprinkling a pinch of flour on Kara’s head, who let it happen and instead shielded her hot chocolate with her hands. She couldn’t help but blush at Lena’s musical laugh beside her.

 

By five o’clock the workshop was over and Julia and Nia helped pass out take-away boxes for people’s leftovers. They also told them any of the remaining treats from the snack table were up for grabs, which was met by approving exclamations. Kara sent everyone off with a smile and an encouragement to come back and visit them soon. Lena hung back and waited for Elizaveta, getting shooed away from helping clean up first by Nia, then Kara, then finally the old woman herself who took her by the shoulders and practically frog marched her to a chair. It didn’t take long with the four of them working quickly and they came back to the main area to find Lena and Elizaveta chattering away in animated tones. From what Kara could tell, the old woman was imparting some information to a reluctant Lena, and at one point sounding scandalized and blushing profusely with an  _ Elizaveta! _ . Kara was curious to ask, but instead waved everyone out of the bakery enthusiastically and thanked them for all their help.

 

“I think today went perfectly, thank you again for coming in.” Kara hugged the old woman warmly as Winn locked up the shop behind them.

 

“Of course,  _ solnishko _ , of course! Very good day. Everyone happy and baking! You let me read article soon, yes?”

 

“Yes, I’m going to start writing it tonight. I’ll try to get it to you in a couple days?”

 

“No rushing, no rushing! When you are ready, yes. You call me, we have tea. I read. Yes?”

 

“Yes. I’ll call you when it’s done.”

 

The little old lady nodded emphatically with another  _ yes _ and turned to Lena who had been looking at Kara curiously. “ _ Zviozdochka moya _ , I see you soon. Yes?”

 

Lena started and her focus returned to Elizaveta. “Yes, I’ll see you soon, too.”

 

They said the rest of their goodbyes and Kara waved them off. She rounded the right side of the building and slowly made her away up the iron wrought stairs to her front door, thinking about a hot shower and something to eat that wasn’t just sugar and dough. Preferably something green. Or maybe some fruit. Kara practically fell into her apartment and quickly showered and fixed herself some dinner, sinking low into her couch with a tired groan. She pulled her phone into her laptop and began compiling her notes on the workshop and profile notes she had taken for Elizaveta that day.

 

Kara spent some time picking through the pictures she and Winn had uploaded to their shared photo album. She favorited a handful and texted her partner for his approval and chatted with him about what they wanted to try the following week. She could feel the exhaustion catching up to her after an exciting day and shifted into a more upright position so she wouldn’t fall asleep on the couch. Kara knocked out a rough outline to her article and picked some more pictures of Elizaveta for it before closing her laptop.

 

Before she got any more draggy, Kara created and posted an entry for the bakery’s Instagram account. The caption read,

 

_ Today we had a very special guest, Elizaveta Bychkov, teach us how to make two traditional eastern european pastries! Mrs. Bychkov is an immigrant from Luhansk, Ukraine, and long-time resident of East Village. She came to National City in 1982 with her husband, Nikolay, in search of a more successful life. Mrs. Bychkov found it in teaching and baking, and today she shared her knowledge of pirozhki and vatrushka with us. _

 

_ Stay tuned for a more in-depth article, detailing her life and her baking. And yes, I’ll include the recipes from today’s workshop! _

_ #baking #bakingworkshop #pastries #ukrainianpastries #russianpastries _

_ #goodforthesoul #somuchsugarhelp #flourfairies _

 

-and selected eight of the more attractive pictures.

 

The first was a beautiful portrait of Elizaveta herself, smiling toothily at the camera with her hands folded on the table in front of her. Her wrinkled face was warmed by the afternoon sun and her blue eyes sparkling with mirth. The second picture was of Elizaveta laughing with one of the visiting culinary students, a young man with bright purply-pink hair and trendy glasses, as she supervised his mixing. The third was a picture that Winn took of her tanned gnarled and spotted hands speckled with bright white flour as she mixed a bowl of dough, the wooden spoon she had wielded that day tight in her grip. The fourth was of her and the elderly Bolshivics conversing over a cup of coffee and plates of treats during their snack break, looking every inch of the life long friends they were. The fifth was one Kara had taken of Elizaveta squeezing a flour dusted Lena into a side hug as they happily looked over her golden brown creations. The sixth picture was of the four culinary students with their arms around each other and their own pastries displayed on the table in front of them. Next were the three young mothers having an exciting conversation with Julia as she helped demonstrate how to fill a  _ pirozhki _ with a grin. The last picture was Kara, Winn, Nia, and Julia all crowded around a jovial Elizaveta sporting dough mustaches that had been made from the dregs of the workshop. Lena had taken the last picture for them before they started cleaning up and it was one of Kara’s absolute favorites.

 

Kara smiled at her phone as she reviewed the caption and then hit the post button. She fooled around on the internet for a couple more minutes, and just as she was getting up to start getting ready for bed an Instagram notification popped up from @ _ booksnbytes _ . Kara quickly tapped on the alert and waited for the post to load, her grin growing impossibly wider as she saw what it was.

 

_ I visited with @karasbakerync today for a different kind of science. Baking pastries is a lot more fun and rewarding when you’ve got good company. _

 

_ The menu for today was pirozhki and vartruska, two ukrainian and russian desserts the lovely and ever wonderful Elizaveta grew up with. It was truly a treasure to learn from her capable hands and to have a nice visit. Last but not least, if all goes well, I may be able to convince Kara to start baking us some more fun treats to have at the cafe counter. Fingers crossed. _

 

_ Tell us what you would like to have at the cafe counter! _

 

_ First picture borrowed with courtesy from @karasbakerync -L _

_ #baking #pastries _

 

There were three photos, and Kara took her time swiping through them. The first was indeed reposted from her own post, the one of Lena and Elizaveta. The second picture was of her and Lena sitting cross-legged on the floor at a friendly distance, their knees not quite touching. Kara was pointing out something on her own plate and Lena was looking at her with rapt attention. The last picture was of her shielding her hot cocoa as Winn’s disembodied hand sprinkled a generous amount of flour onto her head. Lena’s head was thrown back in a laugh, her own mug cradled protectively against her chest. Warmth sank into her ribs and she made sure to like the post and comment  _ I’m still finding flour in my hair. _ Kara couldn’t stop herself from dancing her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth, her dreams filled with happy laugher and giant golden pastries full of quark and fragrant cherries.

 

* * *

 

Kara was just finishing up her lunch the next day when her phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number. A little wary, she tapped open the notification and was pleasantly surprised.

 

_ Hi Kara, this is Lena. I got your number from Jess, I hope that’s not too forward? _

 

Kara carefully put her phone down and proceeded to enthusiastically dance-flail in place for a couple seconds, a few happy squeaky sounds eeking out past her sunny grin. Julia caught the end of her antics and rolled her eyes without malice as she passed the break room. She scooped her phone back up before the screen had a chance to dim and typed out a rapid response.

 

_ Not at all! What’s up? _

 

Kara set her phone back down and waited, getting antsy when the ellipses appeared, indicating that Lena was responding.

 

_ I was serious about having more different things for BnB. Would you be willing to adjust our order soon? I’d of course adjust your pay. _

 

Kara huffed in exasperation at the last comment and replied,

 

_ I’d love to do that! Text me some ideas and quantities whenever and I’ll hop on it. And no, don’t you dare. I’ve told you a million times you already pay too much. If you up the price any further I’m going to have to start asking you to carry cooking and baking books in return so I can give it back to you in sales! _

 

Lena’s reply was almost instantaneous.

 

_ Well that’s not a bad idea. Sounds good. I’ll be in touch. _

 

Kara almost asked  _ what _ wasn’t a bad idea, but sent a double thumbs up emoji instead. Whatever Lena decided to throw at her she would roll with it.

 

A few minutes later her phone buzzed one more time.

 

_ I’ve been looking at the articles on your website. You’re quite the writer, Kara. I’m excited to read about Elizaveta. _

 

Kara dance-flailed again.

 

* * *

 

Lena respected Kara’s wishes and did  _ not _ raise her payments to the bakery. However she did sit down with her and got some help planning out a new section of cooking and baking books over coffee one morning. They also came up with an extensive list that covered a range of desserts that both of them were excited to try. Kara’s favorite development was the experimenting, and the  _ best _ part about that was Lena insisted on trying each creation with her.

 

There were southern pecan tarts, full of a rich caramel filling in a flakey pastry crust that tasted like a summer’s day. Thick luscious brownies that nearly melted in your mouth and tasted so rich a glass of milk was almost always needed. Mini cherry crumbles with a crust texture like delicate sugary shortbread and a vibrantly red creamy filling. Peanut and almond buttery brittle tarts with just the right amount of crunch for that nice texture without it being too hard to hurt your teeth. Bite sized apple pies from classic southern recipes, filled with butter and sugar and cinnamon glazed apple chunks. Double German chocolate cake with a raspberry spread in between the layers and a thin layer of dark chocolate icing that had a hint of vanilla and cinnamon and to quote Lena,  _ tasted like a sin _ .  _ Linzetorte _ with an extravagant lattice crust and a nutty jam filling that seeped into the dough, finished with a dusting of glittery pure cane crystals.  _ Esterhazytorte _ in ten thin delicate layers of stacked sponge cake and chocolate buttercream that was then crusted in sliced and toasted almonds over a sweet apricot glaze.  _ Sachertorte _ low and squat, a dense rich chocolate cake stacked with a thin layer of smooth apricot jam and coated in a rich dark chocolate icing that made Kara feel like her blood was turning to chocolate. And those were just the beginning.

 

It took them until the middle of December to make their way through the original list that also just happened to keep growing instead of becoming shorter. Kara had just sliced into the small  _ sachertorte _ in the  _ Books and Bytes _ break room, crowded by Lena, Jess, and Hector when Lena made an off-handed comment.

 

“You know I should be thanking you. All of these extra desserts have really made me aware of my exercise regimen. I think I’ve  _ gained _ muscle trying to counter all this.”

 

Kara snorted and began plating the portions she had cut. “It’s why I run and box every morning. Work hard, uh, eat hard I guess.”

 

Jess snorted and took her slice. “Personally, I will admit my yoga has greatly improved.”

 

Kara looked at Hector expectantly with a teasing smile and he shrugged sheepishly. “My dad’s a twig, I have lucky genes.”

 

The three women protested with teasing attitudes while he exclaimed  _ but I do run too!  _ and Kara gave him the largest piece she had cut, which was still technically a modest serving. She was glad that he had found a new job with Jess and Lena, even if she was jealous that she no longer had his help in the kitchen. Kara handed the last slice to Lena and waited for their reactions, grinning when Jess mimed face-planting into her plate.

 

“I guess we have a winner?” She teased, and laughed loud when Lena pulled the cake towards her with a mutter of  _ No, it’s terrible, I’m taking it home to dispose of. _

 

“Why don’t you all take a section of it? I need to make room in my kitchen for Christmas dinner stuff.”

 

Lena slid into one of the chairs and took another bite of her cake. “Any big plans?”

 

“My mom, Eliza, is coming in from Midvale. We’re gonna have our traditional dinner at my sister’s place. Then I might do something for New Year’s… but I usually don’t because I like to have the bakery open for a half-day on the first.”

 

“Here’s an idea,” Jess pointed her fork at her in an almost menacing manner. “-you give yourself a break and close the bakery on the first and then come to our house party. It’s lowkey. We play music and eat too much and watch the Twilight Zone marathon on TV Land. So… basically a house party for people who try to be responsible adults. Keyword, try. Hell, invite your friends too if you’d like. Our group keeps shrinking and I’d love to have you and Winn and Nia- _ and you too Hector if you haven’t made plans _ -come over. You’re all fun sober I bet you’re even more fun inebriated. Julia will be there too, she’s been with us since college and she’s  _ so _ fun.”

 

Kara opened and closed her mouth a little in surprised delight, but perked up quickly, jumping into a decision without even needing to think. “I’d  _ love _ to! I’ll let them know this week!”

 

“You should bring some more of those little apple pies too. Or rose tarts.” Lena chimed in.

 

Kara couldn’t help the teasing tone as she stuffed her hands into her jean pockets, filing away the information that Lena was also a part of the original house party group. “Do we have an affinity for apple, Miss Luthor?”

 

Lena gave her a playful look and shrugged a shoulder. “We might. But please, do come.” She looked up at Jess, quirking her brown as she began imparting some gossip. “I asked Sam and Ruby, but Ruby has a girl’s night sleepover and Sam said she has a hot date with a doctor.”

 

Jess gave her an  _ oh really? _ look and hummed around her bite of cake. Lena shrugged again almost in a coy fashion and Kara tried not to stare at the curve of her neck and collarbone as her shirt shifted with the movement. She cleared her throat and masked it as a cough, poorly if Hector’s expression was anything to go by, and picked her coat back up.

 

“Just text me the details, I’ll be an adult and take a day off for once.”

 

“Good. You need it.” Jess patted her on the shoulder and cut herself another slice of cake.

 

* * *

 

Kara closed the bakery on December twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth and spent most of those two days at Alex’s with her and Eliza. They had hot chocolate spiked with peppermint schnapps or bailey’s irish cream, mini candy canes, gingersnaps, spritz cookies, gingerbread, and little pastry sandwich cookies in the shape of triangles and circles and stars with a buttercream filling. Eliza baked a tender and juicy roast that was a rosey pink in the middle and soaked with red wine and cinnamon. Creamy garlic baked mashed potatoes and sauteed green beans in salt, pepper, and oil were also on the table. A mixed greens salad with caramelized pecans and craisins and crumbled goat cheese were topped with thin pear slices and a citrusy vinaigrette. A bready stuffing with sausage and sage cut through the sauces in a firm but not deathly dry crunchy texture. And last but not least, a favorite from childhood, yorkshire pudding in individual portions baked in a cupcake tin. Kara ate  _ way _ too much and spent the rest of the afternoon on her back on the living room floor dozing. And then again on the following day when she didn’t learn her lesson about portion control. She texted Winn  _ no ragrets _ with a view of the tv from the floor and got the same in response.

 

As the year drew to a snowy close Kara grew into a ball of excited nerves as the big party drew near. Winn, Nia, and Julia had all committed to attending with Kara, and they spent the few last odd days in December deciding what they were all going to bring to prevent overlap. They closed up at noon on New Year’s Eve and parted for the rest of the day, Winn voicing his excitement to drink too much that evening and have the next day off to play video games. Kara spent the afternoon fixing her party contribution of homemade potstickers and a small fresh batch of apple rose tarts, whirled with extra slices of ripe pear and a spiced-honey glaze. And of course, topped the pastries with a generous amount of powdered sugar and dusted with edible gold lustre. She agonized over her outfit up until she had to leave, but settled on a cozy navy blue shirt and nice dark jeans. Her look was finished off with a warm silvery-blue scarf and her festive wooly socks. Kara smoothed the hem of her jeans into her nicer pair of brown leather boots and tugged on her heavy coat and slouchy beanie. A few minutes later, the shared taxi pulled up in front of the bakery and Kara carefully made her way down the steps and to the car. Winn popped the door open with a  _ fancy seeing you here _ and helped her with her containers.

 

Their ride around the harbour to the North Shore was fairly smooth if a little slow due to the weather. Kara tipped the driver generously when Winn picked up the faire and they carefully climbed out onto the icy sidewalk with their containers balanced in their hands. They crunched up the walk to the quaint two-floor house, the windows glowing with warm golden light that reflected merrily on the snow. They stomped the snow off their shoes on the steps up the porch and scuffed their feet on the functional looking welcome mat. There was a tasteful evergreen wreath on the large wooden door and it swung open just as Winn was about to knock.

 

“You made it! Come in, it’s cold out.” Jess greeted them cheerfully with a wine glass in her hand.

 

Jess ushered Kara and Winn into the warm house that smelled of spices and something vaguely evergreen. It was beautifully furnished with dark hardwood floors and molding. The walls were painted in an expertly chosen pallet that fit the use for each room while retaining a coherent theme throughout the space that she could see. Cream and deep jewel red accents dotted the living space through the furniture cushions and throw blankets. Books were a prevalent theme and expensive looking canvases next to smaller photographs of people broke up the blank spaces. Small touches of the homeowner’s personality peeked through in subtle patterns and an underlying comfortable elegance.

 

They could hear laughter and conversation deeper into the house and Jess helped them out of their coats, telling them that they were the last to arrive and now the party could truly start. Kara arranged her scarf to wrap around her shoulders like a shawl and ran her hands quickly through her loose curls, blinking as her glasses fogged up from the temperature change. She followed after a bouncing Winn as Jess led them into the dining room to a chorus of cheers. The large oak table was full of different dishes of roasted meats and vegetables, fruit and cheese slices wrapped in prosciutto ham, eastern dishes like sweet and savory hum bao and authentic dim sum, a tureen of some kind of hearty noodle soup, baked dips and brie with brown sugar and nuts were surrounded with everything from sliced vegetables to crackers to bruschetta, then desserts and pastries from cakes to tarts to cookies. Jess helped them find space on the table and Kara unloaded her carefully arranged dishes with her guidance. Winn brought mini bite-sized pizzas of thin layers of mozzarella cheese and sliced bbq chicken. Nia popped up next to him and grabbed his shoulder.

 

“I thought you were bringing me a pizza with a whole chicken on it!”

 

Winn gestured to his serving plate. “I  _ did! _ It’s just in more manageable bites! Also I couldn’t find a container big enough that would hold a large pizza with a whole ass chicken slapped in the middle of it.”

 

Nia made a disapproving sound but scooped up a mini pizza anyways. “I guess I can forgive you this time. Try the chocolate fondant cake, that one’s mine and I feel like it’s missing something. Julia’s flourless chocolate raspberry torte knocked it on it’s ass-”

 

Kara wandered into the kitchen and deposited her empty containers, still a little nervous in a new house half full of strangers.

 

“Kara! You made it!”

 

Kara started and turned around, relaxing as Lena stepped energetically into the kitchen. Her heart fluttered against her ribs and golden warmth spread to the tips of her fingers and toes. Lena was dressed in her traditional black but she looked warm and content, elegantly styled in so subtle a way that Kara had to look closely. But not too closely or she’d get caught by the beauty mark in the center of her neck. Kara still looked at her neck. She blushed.

 

“Hi! Lena! Uh-I did! The roads were a little rougher than we thought but, uh, yeah we made it!”

 

Lena grinned and pulled her into a tight hug that Kara quickly returned, obviously not registering her nervous babbling. “Come on, let’s get you a drink.” Or maybe she did.

 

Kara swallowed thickly and let Lena lead her out of the spacious marble and brass kitchen and over to a liquor cabinet in the dining room. She tried not to think about how warm and soft Lena had been when she hugged her, but the expensive perfume she was wearing that tickled her nose and soaked into her skin didn’t let her forget. Lena smelled like jasmine and citrus.

 

There was a small card table set up in the corner with a large crock of some kind of hot spiced punch next to a water cooler, and a sleek cooler of assorted beers was tucked underneath. Kara was suddenly very glad that she had taken the next day off after all.

 

“Pick your poison. The punch is non-alcoholic but you can always add a splash of something.” She gestured vaguely to the rows of crystal liquor bottles lined up on the cabinet.

 

“Is that what you’re having?” Kara sidled up to the table and picked up a mug.

 

Lena grinned, her cheeks already rosy behind her large-rimmed glasses. “With brandy.”

 

Kara hummed in approval. “I think I’ll have that too.”

 

“Excellent.”

 

Armed with a boozy mug of hot punch and a plate full of food, Kara let Lena lead her from group to group. She visited with their mutual friends through the bakery, then visited with Jess as they roamed through the food table again. There was something playing on a sound system in the living room, a sort of club house beat that made Kara think of high end lounges in movies. She had just made herself abandon her fork after Lena had praised her on the new variation on her apple and pear rose tarts much to her blushing delight when a dashing man collided into Lena with a exuberant shout.

 

“ _ HEYYY _ ! This is a  _ great _ party. I love the new place, Lena! Now. Tell me. Who is this fetching young woman you’ve been parading about?”

 

Kara recovered quickly from her surprise and stuck her hand out in an attempt to not look at how his arm was wrapped around Lena.

 

“Kara! Uh, Danvers. Kara Danvers. Hi.”

 

Kara felt her cheeks grow warm when Lena snickered into her mug as she leaned into the new man. He was handsome in a classic sense. Tall of average build, with a dark complexion and thick black glossy hair and well groomed beard. He had an accent that was definitely british but lilted on his r’s. He was dressed in an impeccable button up and felt vest combination that was subtly elegant like Lena’s outfit, and it made Kara feel incredibly underdressed.

 

The man quirked a thick dark brown and gave her a playful look, unwinding his arm from around Lena and taking her hand in a firm shake.

 

“Hi, Kara Danvers. Jack Spheer. Covalently bonded atom to this nerd.”

 

Lena slapped him in the chest playfully. “Stoppit. You’re going to confuse her.”

 

“Aren’t I supposed to?”

 

“You’re supposed to stop flirting with my guests. I think you scared Hector.”

 

“He loved me. But if I can’t flirt with your guests then I’ll have to flirt with you!”

 

“You tried in college and it didn’t work out.”

 

Kara was relieved to hear Lena say that but she would  _ never _ admit that.

 

“I remember.” He leaned in a wide-eyed Kara’s direction as if telling a secret. “She threw a microscope at me. It was rather terrifying. Monstrous even.”

 

“ _ Jacky _ .”

 

“ _ Lena. _ ”

 

Lena’s eye roll was probably one of the most impressive that she had ever seen in her life. And she would have been properly impressed if she hadn’t been swivling her head between their witty remarks like she was watching a tennis match. Or as confused. She was  _ so confused _ .

 

“I don’t know what to do with you. At least you’re here and not out doing molly in the club anymore.”

 

“...tonight.”

 

“ _ Jacques. _ ”

 

“ _ She said my full name. Time to go. _ ” He extricated himself from a thoroughly scandalized Lena with an expression that Kara could only describe as  _ oh shit _ . “It was  _ lovely _ to meet you, Kara Danvers. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other later tonight.”

 

“ _ JACK! _ ” Lena made an even more scandalized noise and Jack booked it with a cackle. Kara open and closed her mouth a few times, pointed in the direction that Jack had gone, and ran her hand through her hair while Lena covered her burning face with her free hand. Kara thought she looked terribly cute with her glasses slightly askew.

 

“Huh.” She took a long pull of her drink, feeling the warmth brandy blossom down her throat and into her stomach.

 

“I am  _ so _ sorry. He’s more rambunctious than usual tonight.”

 

“Oh, no-no I like him, that’s okay! I just wasn’t expecting-uh-all of that.”

 

“Well that makes two of us.” Lena grumbled and reached out, pinching at Kara’s sleeve and pulling her into the living room. “I see Jess and Julia on the couch, they seem like safe waters.”

 

“Okay.” Kara let herself be led for a moment before catching up with Lena. “Maybe you can tell me more about the microscope throwing thing.”

 

Lena groaned again.

 

The night progressed and at one point Jess had them playing some drinking game that none of them really knew the rules to, just that they played pictionary at the same time. In any case, it definitely got Kara pleasantly tipsy for the first time in quite a while and she was talking full advantage of her lowered inhibitions around a house full of people she trusted. She was sitting sideways on the couch, leaning heavily into Winn’s back as he played a card game with Julia on the arm of the couch. Her chin was resting on the back of his solid shoulder and the comfortable soft weight of Lena pressed into her back simultaneously grounded her and threw her into the stratosphere. Lena’s arms were wrapped tight around her middle and she was mumbling a meandering conversation in between Kara’s shoulder blades. Kara had one arm squished in between her and Winn to rest her hand on Lena’s forearm, and the other was curled into the hem of his sweater at his hip. At one point Jess plopped down behind Lena to form a chain of four and Kara vaguely remembered Nia taking a picture of them.

 

“Heeeey Lena.” Kara drawled when she grew quiet.

 

“Heeey Kara.” She echoed, her warm breath washing through the fabric of her shirt.

 

“I like your house.”

 

“Thank you.” She felt Lens shift and her arms gave a brief squeeze and Kara melted a little. “It’s only fair that I get to see your house now that you’ve seen mine.”

 

“Okie dokie. You can come help me bake cookies.”

 

“‘Kay.”

 

About half an hour before midnight Jack roused everyone from the comfortable complacency they had sunk into and put on some peppy pop tunes. Winn roused the cuddle chain by leaning way back and tipping them all in the opposite direction and Kara knew her face was bright red when his weight squished her back into Lena’s chest. It didn’t help that she could feel her grinning against her ear and it  _ definitely _ didn’t help that her arms had slid higher up around her ribs. Kara tried and failed at catapulting Winn onto the floor when he made a show of stretching and taking his sweet time to get up off the couch, planting her hands on the back of his shoulders and pushing. Which of course just counter-pushed her further into Lena and poor Jess made a sound of protest from somewhere in the couch cushions. Nia took another picture, breathless with laughter.

 

They rang in the New Year with a shout to the loud sound of fireworks on the TV in the living room and the chaos of mini party poppers. Champagne flowed, hugs and cheek kisses were exchanged, and obnoxiously loud noise makers were deafening as Jack lead them in a raucous chorus of  _ Auld Lang Syne. _ Kara was just pulling the string on a party popper to shoot straight up towards the ceiling while Jess and Julia covered their flutes when Lena gasped dramatically and grabbed onto her shoulder.

 

“ _ LOOK _ .”

 

Lena shoved her phone at Jess who got comically distracted and didn’t notice the new confetti from Kara’s popper landing in her champagne. She gasped just as dramatically and screeched, and now Kara really wanted to see what was on Lena’s phone.

 

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

 

Lena turned and excitedly showed her the slightly blurred picture on her phone, babbling about their friend Sam. It was a picture of a pretty brunette kissing a grinning-

 

“ _ Holy shit, that’s my sister.” _

 

“ _ WHAT? _ ”

 

“That’s my sister!!! The doctor!”

 

Lena pulled her phone back and gaped at Kara then back to the screen. “ _ No. _ ”

 

“Yeah!”

 

“WELL IT’S ONLY FAIR THEN-”

 

A slender arm wrapped around her neck and suddenly Lena was pressing a sloppy kiss to her cheek, dangerously close to the corner of her mouth. She released her with an exaggerated  _ MUA _ and Kara blushed furiously as Jess and Julia cracked up at her dumbfounded expression. Lena shoved her phone back in Kara’s face with a  _ Does this look okay? _ and Kara was looking at a candid of her scrunching her face as Lena kissed her. Before she could answer Lena texted the picture back to this friend, Sam, with  _ I FOUND THE DOCTOR’S SISTER _ . Kara tried not to think about how Lena still had her arm curled tightly around her shoulders or how badly she wanted to pull her into a proper kiss. Or how safe and warm she felt pressed tightly into her side. She definitely tried not to think about how nice it would be to take her out on a date.

 

She failed spectacularly.

 

* * *

 

If Kara had to pin-point it, she’d say the New Year’s party was what began the shift between her and Lena. It was subtle, but they both started opening up more to each other and Kara caught Lena sneaking glances at her just as frequently as she was caught. She could feel something starting to simmer just under the surface of their friendship. It was honestly terrifying and exhilarating.

 

While trying to keep her feelings at bay Kara was true to her word and started inviting Lena over to either bake cookies or try new recipes for the bakery. Sure it  _ probably _ wasn’t the smartest decision, but Kara didn't think she could handle distancing herself from Lena. It was special to see Lena relaxed and unguarded in her own home, smiling in the kitchen as she helped decorate some tarts or curled into the corner of her couch with a mug of tea and a melty cookie. They shared childhood stories as Kara set the tone of the conversations first to let the more guarded Lena decide how much she wanted to share in return. Lena was so much  _ more _ than the cool detached woman she had first met, and Kara was falling helplessly in love with her.

 

Except Lena was her friend. One of her  _ best friends _ . Someone she had grown inexplicably close to in just a couple months and couldn’t imagine the foreseeable future without. She would have been a little worried that her heart was moving too fast if Winn hadn’t accepted Lena just as quickly. It also helped that through Jess’s months of stories and comments Kara had felt like she had already known Lena before she met her in person. She admitted that last part to Lena one evening when they were huddled around a plate of peanut butter chocolate oatmeal bars and Lena had smiled shyly and agreed with her.

 

In return for Lena visiting her at least once or twice a week, Kara started popping into  _ Books and Bytes _ to peruse the steadily expanding collection. She made sure to beat most of the loose flour off of her clothes before she entered the store, and always took a moment to look around on the shelves of the baking and cooking section as well as the growing queer section. If she was feeling adventurous she’s browse the trashy romance novels.

 

_ Books and Bytes _ was almost insultingly comfortable in the face of what you’d predict to be a snooty shop (courtesy of the Luthor name attached to it). The dark hardwood shelves were carefully organized by genre, and the rainbow of new and old books were meticulously catalogued by topic and then by author name. There was an eclectic collection of comfortable armchairs in all shapes and sizes tucked into nooks in the rows of books. A sitting area off to the right in the storefront was arranged in a U-shape formed by three mismatched loveseats and about two other arm chairs. It smelled of ink, aging paper, and offered the quiet tranquility of a well-kept library. Kara loved it almost as much as her bakery.

 

Kara wandered in the day before the university's midterms started and was nearly bulldozed by a gaggle of students. Eventually she made it around to the cafe counter and nearly collapsed on it in front of Hector. He laughed at her dramatics and finished ringing up an over-caffeinated student.

 

“What’s up, Kara?”

 

“Hey Hec, is Lena in?”

 

Hector rolled his eyes and waved the next student forward. “Yes. You two are the worst workaholics I know.” He grabbed a plate and piled a couple of scones on it and slid it in her direction. “She also didn’t go home last night and I don’t think she’s eaten. She’s in the back somewhere.”

 

Kara picked up the plate and frowned, digging her wallet from her back pocket. “Maybe I’ll force her to take a nap.”

 

“Maybe-hey, no. You don’t need to pay for those.”

 

Kara looked him square in the eye and stuffed a twenty into the  _ feed me seymore _ tip jar. He sighed in exasperation and failed to hide his tired smile.

 

“Get outta here.”

 

“Bye, Hector.”

 

Kara gathered up the plate and slipped away from the counter. She wove back into the depths of the bookstore and paused to chat with Jess in the non-fiction for a moment, delved past where it morphed from tombs to technology and another of the employees Kara didn’t know too well, and then further into the back hallway. She poked her head into the break room and moved on down the short hallway when she didn’t see Lena. The storage room was closed as was the small office and the bathroom was empty, so the only place left to look was the one area she hadn’t been in yet. At the end of the short hall was a heavy metal door that was out of place with the rest of the building. It was stainless steel with a thick pane of narrow glass that ran top to bottom on the side of the handle. There was also a keypad and a small intercom system. From what Kara could see, there was a lot of very expensive white and metal equipment in the room. It was dim and Kara could see the blue glow of a series of monitors reflecting off of some of the more shiny surfaces. She shifted the plate to her left hand and carefully pushed the red call button on the intercom. It rang with a quiet  _ brzzt _ .

 

A voice crackled through after a moment.  _ “Yes?” _

 

“Hey! It’s Kara! Can I come in?”

 

The door unlocked with a quiet buzz and Kara quickly slipped into the chilly room. To her right, soft footsteps echoed for a moment until Lena appeared from in between some odd looking equipment. She looked haggard as her glasses slid down her nose. Lena was dressed in dark rumpled clothes and her hair was piled up in a messy bun. Her pale skin was almost ethereal as the blue glow bounced off her profile.

 

“Hi! I brought you food… kinda. Hector was worried you hadn’t eaten.”

 

“Hi.”

 

Lena didn’t stop walking and collided solidly into Kara, who had to juggle the plate as slender arms wrapped around her torso. Kara blushed furiously as Lena pressed fully into her and hid her face in her neck. Thankfully her instincts had her wrapping her free arm around Lena’s shoulders to steady them.

 

“‘M tired.”

 

“I can see that.” Kara’s smile was evident in her voice.

 

Lena breathed in deeply and sighed wearily as she melted further into Kara. She was both glad that Lena wasn’t looking at her to see her blush and nervous at her prolonged closeness. Kara was usually the tactile one and wasn’t used to Lena initiating. Kara decided her inhibitions regarding her usual personal bubble must be lower due to her exhaustion.

 

“You smell good and you’re warm.” She mumbled, starting to sag.

 

Yep. Definitely tired. Kara didn’t think it was possible for her to blush harder but she did. She stood there for a long moment and tightened her arm around Lena’s shoulders. Kara didn’t try to pull away until she could feel Lena’s breath start to slow on her neck.

 

“Ok, Miss Smarty Pants. You’re gonna save whatever you’re working on and stop for the day before you fall asleep standing up.”

 

Lena pulled away from Kara, a frown crunching up her nose as she fisted Kara’s jacket down by her hips. “But I’m so close to a break through.”

 

“Lena,” Kara ducked her head down to look into the hazy green eyes. “There won’t be a breakthrough if you don’t get some rest.”

 

Lena pouted further and shuffled back into the lab with Kara on her heels. “One more hour and I’ll leave.”

 

“You almost fell asleep on me just now.” Kara reminded her gently and bit back a sigh at the continued grumbling. “How about a deal?”

 

That got Lena’s attention and she paused at a desk full of notes and half pulled apart tiny components.

 

“State your proposition, Miss Danvers.”

 

Kara cleared her throat nervously at the steely gaze and fiddled with the plate of scones in her hands. “Come over for dinner, take a nap, and then you can come back.”

 

Lena stared at her for a long moment and Kara was almost expecting her to kick her out for the bold suggestion to abandon her work for a short span of time. But, Lena relented and her shoulders sagged. She quickly saved and shut down her work, slipping a thin sleek laptop into a large purse along with two hard drives, some cables, and a stack of file folders. She shrugged on her long black overcoat and wound a scarf around her neck as she walked back down towards Kara again, keys jingling somewhere in her bag. Kara let her pass by and followed her back to the door, slipping through as Lena hit the lights and set the security alarm. They made their way back out into the shop and Lena detoured to the cafe counter, taking the plate from Kara and sliding it back towards Hector with a  _ see you tomorrow _ . He shot Kara a grateful look over Lena’s head and wished them a pleasant evening.

 

Kara herded them out of the bustling shop and into the chilly February air. Their breath fogged in front of them as the sun set behind heavy clouds that threatened with more snow. They crunched down the sidewalk in front of the bakery and rounded the sidestreet to the wrought iron steps that led up to Kara’s red front door. She let them in, shivering under their layers and sighing in relief as the heat washed over their chilled frames. They shucked their coats and bags and Kara told Lena to go find some of her sweatpants if she wanted. As Lena made herself at home Kara put the kettle on and dug around in the refrigerator for something that could be quickly heated up. She settled on a soup from the day before and dumped it into a pot next to the kettle as Lena shuffled back in wearing a pair of Kara’s sweats and an oversized sweater from her closet.

 

Lena waited patiently on a stool at the raised bar that separated the kitchen from the living area and listened to Kara babble about her day as she put together their meal. She slid a mug of lemon herbal tea over to her and spooned out portions and warmed some thick slices of bread from that morning. Kara ushered Lena to the couch and they settled in with their meals just as the snow started to dot the large windows and balcony door of her apartment. Kara somehow managed to get Lena to eat two servings of soup and watched her friend with amusement as she sank lower and lower into the couch as she started to fade. Kara heaved herself from the couch and took their dishes into the kitchen.

 

“Okay, you sit tight and I’ll go find you an extra toothbrush.”

 

Lena practically pried herself up out of the couch with sluggish movements. “Let me do the dishes.”

 

Kara backtracked and tried to guide Lena back to the couch but she wouldn’t be swayed. She left Lena to her own devices and pulled out some clean sheets from the closet. The bed was stripped and remade quickly and Kara found an extra toothbrush in a drawer just as Lena wandered into the bedroom with a glass of water looking soft and sleepy. Kara handed her the toothbrush and turned the bed down.

 

“There’s a clean hand towel on the counter, and you can use my toothpaste. If you need anything else I’ll be in the next room working. There’s a phone charger cable on the left side. Ok?”

 

“Ok. Thank you, Kara. Can you wake me in two hours?”

 

“Sure. Get some rest, Lena.”

 

Kara left her to crawl into bed and closed the door quietly to her bedroom. She wandered out to her kitchen and saw that Lena had not just cleaned up their dishes but also put away the meager leftovers. Warm affection spread to Kara’s fingers and toes as her thoughts strayed back to the woman sleeping in her bed. She put the kettle back on to fix another cup of tea while she scrolled through the bakery’s Instagram feed, noticing a picture Winn had posted of a new test pastry they had been working on. Kara made a mental note to ask Winn about different flavors for it as she poured a fresh mug and stuffed another thick slice of bread into her mouth, holding it carefully in her teeth as she continued to scroll and ventured into her home office.

 

Kara worked through her stacks of bills and placed orders for more ingredients before returning to digitally cataloguing the recipes Eliza had brought her at Christmas. Her mother had wanted to have a compiled list of family recipes just in case something happened to the physical cards. The activity woke up the old wish to have a baking book of her own some day. Before she knew it nearly two and a half hours had passed and Kara unfolded her stiff body from her office chair. She glanced out of the window and grimaced at the thick snow that had been steadily falling and decided Lena shouldn’t risk driving home now, and resolved herself to a night on the couch. She yawned and cracked her back with a twist and checked the time, noticing it had creeped past nine. Maybe she’d call it a night too and read a little before sleeping. The kettle got put up and the mug rinsed and quickly scrubbed. Kara slipped into her bedroom and tiptoed over to the bed, gently resting her hand on Lena’s shoulder and rousing her.

 

“Hey. It’s been a little over two hours but the snow’s pretty heavy and still falling. Go back to sleep, the roads will be clear in the morning.”

 

She got some kind of sound of affirmation and Lena curled deeper into the covers, her poof of hair looking inky black in the creamy flannel material sheets. Kara let her go back to sleep and grabbed up her pajamas before slipping into the bathroom. She changed quickly, followed her nightly routine, and turned the light out before sneaking back into the bedroom. The room was a dim gray with the glow of the snow coming in from behind the sheer curtains. Kara pulled the heavy drapes closed and the room got significantly darker. She didn’t know when Lena wanted to get up but she didn’t want it to be to sun in her eyes. Kara scooped up the pillow Lena wasn’t using and slipped from her room, stopping in her office to dig into the desk for her spare phone cable. She had just finished making a nest on the couch when the floor creaked behind her. Kara looked up and found a sleep blurred Lena squinting at her with her arms crossed across her chest.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Um… making my bed?”

 

Lena made a disapproving noise and shuffled over, grabbed Kara’s pillow, and started shuffling back to the bedroom. When she didn’t hear a stunned Kara follow her she turned back.

 

“I’m not kicking you out of your bed. C’mon, there’s room.”

 

There was no way she was getting out of it now, so Kara double checked the front door locks and turned the lights out. Lena was already nestled back into the covers and Kara found her pillow back in it’s original resting place. She plugged her phone in and climbed into bed, making sure to leave room between them. Kara’s heart was in her throat now and it took her a long time to actually relax. Lena was in  _ her _ bed, warm and solid and very much asleep. Her thoughts wound her round and round in circles but finally sleep pulled at her. She dreamt of scooping pastries from the snow and curling up with Lena in a fluffy blanket.

 

* * *

 

Her alarm was jarring at four in the morning and Kara nearly shoved her phone off the corner of the bed to turn it off. After she silenced Ke$ha telling her that she  _ woke up in the morning feeling like P Diddy _ Kara smushed her face back down into the pillow with a tired sigh. The blankets tightened around her waist and pressed tightly into her back, groaning in frustration into the back of her neck. Kara was confused for a long moment until she remembered that Lena had stayed over the night before. Suddenly, Kara’s body felt like it was on fire and she was  _ very _ awake and  _ very _ aware of how closely Lena was pressed into her back. She shifted and noticed how their feet were tangled together. Lena sighed deeply and released Kara from her grip.

 

“Morning. Go make bread.” And then she rolled over and fell back asleep.

 

Kara laid there for a moment longer to collect her wits before slipping out of the warm covers and putting her feet onto the chilly floor. She wished she didn’t have to get up. She wished she could go back to cuddling and sleeping next to Lena. Kara was falling  _ hard _ .

 

* * *

 

March came in like a Lion with strong windstorms and plans from Winn to make back to back events for Pi Day and the Ides of March. It boiled down to a special on pies and small tarts followed by red velvet cupcakes with a red chocolate filling the next day so you could  _ like, totally pull a Brutus and stab Caesar _ . Kara didn’t have the heart to tell him no, especially since Nia and Julia had latched onto the idea. However she made it clear that he would have to figure out exactly what he wanted to do and order the supplies needed. Which looking back at that decision now and looking at the pack of tiny plastic cocktail picks in the shape of swords she recognized that it was probably a stupid one. She  _ did _ take a picture of Winn, Nia, and Julia all holding up a tiny sword really close to their faces with dramatically serious expressions all squished into the frame, and posted it to the bakery Instagram with the caption:

 

_ These traitorous bakers will be offering up a fun treat for the Ides of March this Wednesday. Swing by and grab a red velvet cupcake for your very own chance to “like totally, stab Caesar.” Or challenge Winn to a duel. Don’t forget to stop by on the 14th for Pi day! _

_ #cupcakes #idesofmarch #liketotally #pullabrutus #butonyourcupcakenotaperson _

 

Pi day was popular with the neighborhood and they were busy most of the morning dolling out slices, half pies, whole pies, and mini tarts in all kinds of flavors. There was cherry, apple, mixed berry, peach, chocolate, chess, key lime, pecan, coconut, and gluten free chocolate-raspberry, all served in golden crusts and topped with your choice of fresh whipped cream or chocolate shavings. Kara decided she didn’t want to have any pie to eat for a few months.

 

The next day trays of red velvet cupcakes with a runny chocolate center and cream cheese icing were all the rage, complete with a tiny plastic sword on the side. Jess came in for the usual order of scones and pastries around eleven and had to rush back with Lena being out for the day on business. Kara shot a text off to her at lunch time telling her if she made it over their way that day she’d save her a special cupcake. She didn’t receive a response until close to two and a cryptic message of  _ do you have something more substantial i can stab with a real knife _ . She did, but she was curious to learn what what upsetting her so much.

 

Around two-thirty the door jingled and Kara almost didn’t recognize Lena when she strode in. She was sharply dressed in a deep blood red blouse under a fitted charcoal blazer. She wore a matching pencil skirt and designer heels that made Kara’s ankles hurt just looking at them. Her hair was twisted back in a tight elegant bun at her crown and her makeup was impeccable. Lena’s appearance reeked of no-nonsense big corporate business and she looked extremely unhappy about it. Sensing the tension, Kara stepped out from behind the counter and waved at her with a careful greeting.

 

“Hey. It’s good to see you.”

 

Lena slowed and her shoulders sagged, exhaustion bleeding into the lines of her face. “Hi, sorry it’s been a long day.”

 

“No no, it’s okay. Why don’t I grab you some things and we can sit in the back?”

 

Lena nodded and leaned heavily on the end of the glass counter, looking far too old for her age. A plate was assembled and Kara handed it off to Lena while she poured them some coffee before leading them to the break room. Kara let Lena get settled and she frowned in worry as she grimaced and pulled her ridiculous heels off.

 

“I guess you don’t have any alcohol you can put in that?” She asked as she picked up a fork and cut into the apple rose tart, looking at the coffee mug.

 

“Sorry, I don’t have a liquor license.” Kara handed her a butter knife. “For the Caesar cupcake.”

 

Lena smiled tiredly and took a sip anyways, taking the knife from Kara. “Tell me about your day, please.”

 

Kara sensed that Lena wasn’t ready to talk about what was bothering her, despite her obvious appearance that something had changed and possibly gone very wrong, and acquiesced to her request. She babbled on about how popular Winn’s cupcake had been and told her about the massive amounts of pies she had made the previous day. And yes, Lena did relish stabbing the poor cupcake before eating it. That somehow segued into her showing Lena pictures of a cute cat Eliza had adopted and named Streaky, but quickly veered away from family topics when she noticed the tightness around Lena’s eyes. They chatted and had their snack but then Lena was slipping on her  _ devil wears prada _ shoes and rising to her feet after half an hour. Kara could tell her mood was still sour but appreciated that she had come to see her anyways. It wasn’t til her phone buzzed in her hand that Lena’s brow fell into a low scowl and Kara was more than a little intimidated of her.

 

“Bad news?”

 

“Yes.” She stuffed her phone into her purse. “I’m sorry, I need to go. I’ll text you later?”

 

Kara could practically feel Lena starting to push away and swallowed down her panic. They had been doing so well. What had changed?

 

“Yeah, I’ll be around.”

 

Lena scrubbed at her forehead and huffed out a frustrated sound, recognizing the hurt in Kara’s voice. “I’m- _ dammit _ . It’s not you, Kara, I promise. It’s really not.” She looked tired and worn again.

 

Kara’s heart was a yo-yo in her throat and greedily accepted the warm full hug Lena folded her up in. She rubbed a hand up and down Lena’s back in what she hoped was a reassuring manner and let her step away. Lena hesitated in the doorway, looking out of place in her tailored clothes.

 

“I’ll be next door the rest of today but I’ll be absent completely for a while. Work things.”

 

“I’ll stop by in a bit.”

 

“Promise?”

 

Kara nearly cried at the vulnerable look in Lena’s eyes and nodded her head firmly, sweeping her into another tight hug, feeling Lena’s fingers dig tightly into her back.

 

“I promise. I’ll be there in half an hour.”

 

Kara let Lena slip out of her embrace and watched her go. She listened to the staccato click of her heels on the tile fade and vanish with the jingle of the door. Kara jumped so quickly into action it was as if someone had held a match to her feet. She tore out of the back room, and found Nia waving the last customer out of the shop.

 

“I’ll give you a bonus on your next check if you handle clean up for today.”

 

Nia jumped as Kara startled her and clutched a hand to her chest. “ _ Jesus Kara. _ ”

 

“ _ Nia _ .”

 

“Yes, fine.” She answered, her eyes wide and looking bewildered.

 

“Thank you!” Kara pulled her into a hug and then ran back off to the back room.

 

Kara didn’t even bother to put her coat on, she just threw her apron at the desk chair and grabbed her things. She grabbed the remaining three apple rose tarts from the tray, then was a blur of flour and  _ thankyouNia _ and out the door with a  _ clang _ . She tore around the building and took the stairs two at a time up to her apartment. Once inside she tossed her keys and wallet onto the bar counter and sped into her room, already stripping out of her work clothes. Kara freshened up in the bathroom and pulled on some comfortable jeans and one of her favorite soft long sleeved shirts. She doubled back to her room and stacked up some sweats, a tee shirt, thick socks, and a sweater just in case Lena wanted a change of clothes, and jogged back into the kitchen.

 

Next she set about the kitchen in a fury, pulling a small pot down to the stove and kicking the heat to medium. The box of apple tarts were set to warm in the low heated oven for a few minutes. She took out some raspberries she had been saving and dumped them into the pot with some sugar to heat. Next the coffee pot was prepared with some of the nicer stuff she saved for special family occasions and set it to brew.

 

Kara paused and took a breath while she looked around for a basket, finding one tucked away high up in her hall closet. She pulled out two large thermoses and dug into her liquor cabinet for the small unopened bottle of Jameson she usually kept for Alex. Kara tucked the unopened bottle into the bottom of the basket and placed her clothes in next, then the small white box with the apple rose tarts. By the time she had done that the coffee was percolating and the berries were starting to simmer and release their juices into the sugar. Kara gave the pan a quick stir and heaved her old blender out from under the counter and set it up next to the pan, checking the time so she wouldn’t over-cook the raspberries. Once she was satisfied with how they looked, she cut the burner off and scooped the concoction into the blender with sure clean strokes of her spatula with a splash of water.

 

The coffee maker beeped at her while she was blending the berries and sugar to a file smooth liquid and set about straining the mixture into a glass bowl. She poured the warm sauce into one of the thermoses and then filled the larger thermos with the fresh coffee. Kara grabbed some packets of sugar and a tupperware of leftover whipped cream from the fridge, tucked everything safely into the basket, made sure everything was off and unplugged, threw the coffee grounds away, and then set her dirty dishes in the sink. After one more once-over Kara shrugged on her jacket and scooped up her basket. The front door was locked and she was down the steps in a thundering three seconds flat, only tripping a little on the last step. She rounded the corner, glanced into the front of the bakery and saw Nia giving her a  _ what the hell are you even doing _ look, and disappeared into  _ Books and Bytes. _

 

There weren’t a lot of people there today and Kara vaguely remembered it was spring break for the university. She wandered further into the quiet stacks and emerged close to the cafe counter. Jess looked up from her book and took note of the basket in her arms with a raised brow. She pointed towards the back.

 

“Whatever’s in that basket, I’m sure she could use it right now.”

 

Kara shot her a worried look and continued on into the depths of the store, passing a few patrons as they browsed or worked on their laptops. She found Lena standing in the breakroom and staring blankly into the fridge with a frown, but she looked relieved when she spotted Kara.

 

“You came.”

 

“Of  _ course _ I did.” Kara set the basket down onto the table and pulled her into another hug.

 

“And you brought things.” Lena commented as she looked over Kara’s shoulder at the basket after a moment.

 

“Yeah! Uh, I hope I’m not being too, um, forward I guess.” She pulled away and showed Lena the basket. “I brought you some comfy clothes, made a raspberry puree for these apple tarts, and-” She pulled aside the clothes to show her the alcohol. “-a little pick-me-up. I know it’s not that fancy stuff you like to drink but it’s going in coffee anyways.”

 

Lena gave Kara a look that nearly made her weak in the knees and took her hand. There was something in her green eyes that she couldn’t pinpoint and it made her blood roar in her ears.

 

“This is perfect. Thank you.”

 

“Y-yeah. Of course.”

 

They stood there looking at each other for a loaded moment until the slam of the bathroom door and someone walking back into the store jolted them apart. Kara knew her face was burning but couldn’t stop looking at the pink blush that dusted Lena’s high cheekbones. Lena pulled the clothes from the basket and cleared her throat.

 

“I’ll be right back.”

 

Kara just nodded and watched Lena leave the breakroom. The tension in her body twanged like a taut bowstring and she knew that something had almost happened. Suddenly she wondered if alcohol was a bad idea. Kara hoped it wasn’t. It wasn’t too late to ditch it, but she had a feeling Lena wanted the drink. A few minutes later Lena returned looking a lot happier in Kara’s warm clothes, her own nowhere to be seen. She had picked the bobby pins from her hair and it was up in a much looser bun now, a little stiff looking from the leftover hair spray. She pulled mugs and plates out of a cabinet and a fist full of cutlery from a drawer and dumped them into the basket. Lastly she picked up a stack of napkins and laid them over the irish whisky with a wink.

 

“I won’t tell the other owner if you don’t.”

 

Kara rolled her eyes. “You being the other half of the team kinda makes that point moot.”

 

“Hush. Now come on, I want to show you something.”

 

Lena led Kara out of the break room laden with their basket of goodies, her feet a quiet shuffle in the wooly socks. She stopped in the office and fished her keys and phone out from her purse. Lena led them down the hall and to the janitorial closet. Her keys jangled in the lock and Kara couldn’t help but make a teasing comment without thinking.

 

“You’re really making me go back in the closet?”

 

As soon as the words left her mouth Kara slapped her hand over her mouth. She hadn’t meant to do that. Come out. Well Lena probably suspected with all the rainbow stuff but she  _ really _ didn’t mean to do that and… Lena was laughing. Freely. Like Kara had said the most relatable thing in the world. And to Kara’s relief, she had.

 

“Trust me darling, I’m not. From personal experience I can tell you it doesn’t work.” She pulled the door open and wiped at her eyes. “This is a closet you’ll want to step into. I hope.”

 

Kara waited for Lena to click the lights on and gave her a shy look, taking her comment as a confession in trust. “I’m sure I’ll enjoy whatever Narnia you’re taking me to.”

 

Lena rolled her eyes and Kara noticed her cheeks color a little before she stepped into the room. Kara followed curiously, eyes wide in surprise when Lena rounded the mops and started climbing up a tightly spiraled metal staircase. She closed the door behind her at Lena’s instruction and followed her up the stairs, holding the basket awkwardly in front of her as she went. It wasn’t much of a climb before they reached a landing and Lena led them out into a dark space. Kara watched her follow along the wall with the light from her phone and heard a soft  _ aha _ and a click, followed by a few lamps blinking on. It was more books, but most importantly it looked like a personal collection. The books were neatly organized, some in glass cases. Kara could see a sectioned off glass room that must have been climate controlled. It was cozy and smelled like the calm welcoming stacks of an old library. Lena shuffled over to her a little nervously, fidgeting with her phone.

 

“These are mine.”

 

Kara knew she was going to say that, but her wonder still showed on her face from the confirmation. “This is incredible. Can you tell me about them?”

 

Lena gained a little spring in her step and started showing her around the room. It spanned the entire floor but only the back half was occupied with books. Lena happily explained her collection to Kara, showing her special copies that she had been able to procure and pointing at even more rare editions in the climate controlled case. Eventually they made their way to the end where there were some old leather couches that looked like you’d melt right into them. There was a low table that Lena cleared more books off of and set them beside one of the couches. Another lamp on a side table cast a warm orange-gold glow onto the area. Heavy throw blankets were draped across the backs of the couches and pillows were tucked into the arms. A daybed and a stack of floor pillows and more blankets lined the wall under the windows next to the balcony door, completing the U shape of seating. Lena sat on one of the couches and patted the seat next to her in an invitation.

 

“Now. About what else you brought me?”

 

Kara laughed softly and began unloading the rest of the basket, mentioning that they probably should have warmed up the tarts again. Lena waved her off and plated one for each of them, finding the correct thermos of puree while Kara readied their drinks and drizzled a healthy amount onto them. Lena watched her pour the coffee, then twist off the cap to the whiskey and add some to their steaming mugs. She made Kara pour a little extra in hers and promised that she wasn’t going to be driving home. Next was the sugar and Kara finished off the mugs by dolloping a fair amount of whipped cream onto the drinks. Lena hummed in approval and took a sip directly from the Jameson bottle before Kara took it out of her hands and took a sip herself, grimacing at the bite of the alcohol. The amber whiskey warmed her belly and Kara quickly capped it and set it down on the table. She pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over their shoulders.

 

“There. Nice and cozy.”

 

Lena smiled shyly and picked up her plate. “Thank you for doing this, Kara. I needed some normalcy.”

 

Kara nodded and took a sip of her coffee, humming happily at the sweet drink. She licked whipped cream off her lip and shifted to face Lena.

 

“I don’t know what’s going on but I’m here for you, Lena.”

 

Lena looked at her blankly and then, “You haven’t looked at the news today, have you.”

 

Kara grimaced at her flat tone and shook her head. “Winn’s Caesar cupcakes were a lot more popular than expected.”

 

Lena blew out a breath and took a big bite of her tart, chewed, and then a strong gulp of her hot spiked coffee despite the temperature.

 

“I’ve been asked-no, demanded is a better word-to step in as an interim chief executive officer for the LuthorCorp branch here in National City.”

 

Kara gaped at her. “ _ Chief- _ you mean  _ CEO?! _ ”

 

Lena grimaced and nodded, taking another long pull at her drink. “Lex discovered the former CEO was embezzling funds into accounts in the Caymans and…  _ asked _ me to step in and hold down the fort while they search for a permanent replacement.”

 

“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I didn’t know you could do that.”

 

“Yes, well. This isn’t the first time I’ve had to act as interim. I try not to make a big deal about it. Part of the job for being a Luthor was to have a strong business background. Which I  _ can _ do, however science and cancer research is much more my speed.”

 

“And less stuffy.” Kara grumbled into her coffee, remembering Lena’s designer heels.

 

Lena snorted and leaned into Kara’s side as she carefully cut apart her tart with her fork. “Well, hopefully it won’t be for long. I told Lex he had a year maximum before I quit. Thankfully knowing him it shouldn't take more than a few months.”

 

“Here’s to hoping that it’s a short process.” Kara gently clinked her mug to the edge of Lena’s plate.

 

They finished their tarts and poured another coffee with a little too much whiskey and settled further down into the couch. Lena rested her head on Kara’s shoulder and Kara rested her head on the top of her head. She was warm and content, surrounded by a soft blanket and Lena’s expensive perfume. She was a solidly warm anchor at her side and Kara greedily committed how it felt to memory.

 

“I’m going to miss you.” Kara whispered.

 

“I’ll miss you too. But I won’t be too far.”

 

“Promise?”

 

Lena sat up and pressed a sugary kiss to Kara’s cheek a little too close to the corner of her mouth before settling back down.

 

“Promise.”

 

* * *

 

Kara set an alert in her phone to track any news on Lena and LuthorCorp. She felt a little silly, but she wanted to know just in case anything bad happened. Being available for emotional and moral support was something she wanted to be prepared for. Kara couldn’t help but feel protective of her and tried to blame her reasoning on the fact that they were best friends. Winn had sat her down a couple days after Lena publically stepped into the position and told her to try not to worry too much.

 

_ “I know, I’ve seen how nasty the corporate world can be from CatCo, but Lena’s a big girl and she can take care of herself. She’s also got a lot of really good lawyers. Just be there if she needs you. You don’t need to fight every battle for her.” _

 

_ “I’m not-not doing that, Winn. I know she can… But I can’t help but be worried, Winn. I care about her. She’s my best friend.” _

 

_ “I know, it’s okay. But… and I know it isn’t my business, but I think it may be a little more than only that. Don’t worry, I just want you to know I’m in your corner, okay? Now come on, back to work. This icing won’t pipe itself.” _

 

His gentle admission that he could tell Kara had more than friendly feelings for Lena left her a little shaken. Winn was usually pretty perceptive, but Kara began to wonder how obvious she had been. He didn’t often put his nose into her love life, and in fact did his best to steer clear. He only said something when she was being a complete dolt. Apparently she was being a dolt.

 

About four days after Lena started in her new position and Kara was already missing her terribly, a mousey looking man wandered into the shop close to closing. He was dressed in business attire and looked quite frazzled. The man rushed up to the counter and waited patiently as Kara finished helping the little old man from two blocks away.

 

“Have a good day, Mr. George! Hi, how can I help you?”

 

“Hi-I-uh, need, um,” He fumbled with his phone. “-a rose tart?”

 

“Sure, for here or to go?”

 

“To go.”

 

Kara nodded and loaded up a small container with deft hands. “Four dollars, please.”

 

The young man held out a shiny black business card and Kara took it. She balked right about as she went to swipe it, read the name, and handed it back with a soft smile warming her features, her heart lifting just a little bit.

 

“It’s on the house today. Tell Miss Luthor that Kara says hello?”

 

The man stuttered out an awkward thank you and told her he would, scooped up the tart when Kara pushed it towards him, and rushed back out. Winn shot her an exasperated look from where he was sweeping out the corner and Kara just sighed.

 

“I know…”

 

About thirty minutes later her phone buzzed in her back pocket and kept buzzing, indicating a call. She dusted her hands off and pulled it out, her heart leaping when Lena’s contact showed on the screen, a cute picture of her holding a mug of coffee that Kara had snagged off of the  _ Books and Bytes _ Instagram. Kara swiped across the screen and greeted her eagerly.

 

“Hi!!”

 

_ “Hi. You didn’t have to do that.” _

 

Kara grinned at the obvious appreciation in Lena’s voice and she sighed. “I know, but I wanted to.”

 

There was a beat, and she murmured a soft  _ thank you _ across the line. They listened to each other breath for a moment, before Lena took a breath and spoke up again.

 

_ “My assistant, Harold, thought he had done something wrong, you know.” _

 

“What? That little nerdy guy?”

 

Lena snorted a soft laugh.  _ “Be nice. Yes, him. I think he nearly fainted when I told him to take his afternoon break early.” _

 

“I have a hard time believing you’re that scary.”

 

_ “I’ve been told I can be stern. I prefer that to bitch.” _

 

Kara made a disapproving noise and leaned against the counter. “Want me to punch them?”

 

Lena laughed freely that time and Kara could hear typing.  _ “No, please don’t get yourself into trouble over me. I have security guards for that… Though I suppose it could be considered censorship since a lot of the sources are press.” _

 

“Well if you’re sure…” Kara grinned, making sure she sounded like she was teasing. She was. Mostly.

 

_ “I’ll let you know if I need you to punch anyone for me.” _

 

“You better.”

 

_ “I’d honestly rather have a hug.” _

 

Kara straightened up. “I can do that too.”

 

_ “I’ll text you when I have time.” _

 

Kara deflated. “Okay.”

 

Kara listened to her type for a moment longer, listened to her steady breathing in her ear. She missed her. She also hated that Lena was busy and she should probably hang up.

 

“Well… I’ll let you get back to work.”

 

Lena sighed tiredly into the receiver and the typing paused.  _ “I’m sorry… Thank you for the pastry.” _

 

“Of course. Let me know if you need anything?”

 

Lena inhaled as if she were holding something back, but answered with a soft  _ I will _ .

 

“I’m serious, Lena. Anything at all.”

 

_ “You’ll be the first person I call.” _

 

“Good. Um. I’ll talk to you later.”

 

_ “Bye, Kara.” _

 

“Bye.”

 

Kara held the phone up to her ear and couldn’t help the droop in her shoulders when the line went dead a long moment later. She missed Lena.

 

* * *

 

The assistant, Harold, started showing up every other day at about 8 in the morning with a list of orders. The first day he came he gave Kara a sealed envelope of official LuthorCorp stationery and waited patiently while she opened it and read the message.

 

_ No more freebies. -L _

 

Kara rolled her eyes and tucked the note back into the envelope and took the order, reassuring the nervous man that all was well after remembering what Lena had said. He kept returning with larger and larger orders and Kara had to start changing the daily quantities on their more basic items to accomodate for the increase.

 

The more Harold came to the bakery, the more at ease he seemed when Kara started holding quick easy conversations with him. She learned that he was the oldest of three from a hard working farm family in Nebraska. His father had wanted him to have the chance to go out to see the world and not get stuck on the farm like he had. The encouragement had given him a powerful drive and it helped him earn a full ride scholarship to Yale’s business school. His job at LuthorCorp was his first at the high corporate level after working his way up for a few years in smaller businesses. Harold told her that he had applied on a slim chance and still couldn’t understand why Lena had chosen him. Kara had given him a soft smile and told him that  _ Miss Luthor doesn’t make choices without good reason, I’m sure she thought you were the best fit for the job. _ She couldn’t help but start to grow a little protective of him herself.

 

Kara snuck him a pastry now and then on what sounded like the particularly bad days, and one afternoon whispering that  _ No, Lena isn’t mad at you, she’s mad at the misogynistic old men that try to control her _ . He had nodded grimly at that and told her,

 

_ “Don’t tell anyone but she totally ripped the phone out of the wall after a conference call earlier this morning.” _

 

Kara grimaced and gave him an extra rose tart for free. She knew it wouldn’t fix anything, but sometimes a small comfort food could at least ground you.

 

Her phone buzzed with a single heart emoji an hour later and it was worth it.

 

* * *

 

Kara fell into a new rhythm with Harold visiting and the sparse apologetic texts from Lena. The assistant was through the door with a jingle at promptly eight, rattled out an order of nearly three to four dozen pastries, sometimes coming back in the early afternoon for a second batch, paid with a shiny black credit card, made some grateful small talk with Kara, and hustled out the door and into a dark town car parked on the curb. The car had been a new development after the skytram Harold had been on broke down for an hour. He hadn’t stopped telling Kara about how nice and professional Lena had been about the entire ordeal and she could tell he was building a strong respect for her.

 

Kara also kept an eye on her news alert, thankfully only seeing articles mentioning Lena in passing and not addressing her directly. The search for a replacement CEO was well underway even with unofficial comments from Lex Luthor that  _ The National City branch of LuthorCorp is in Miss Luthor’s capable hands. With her guidance and assessment I am confident that we will have a replacement soon and she can go back to kicking my ass in words with friends. _ Apparently Lena had answered that particular tweet with such an ostentatious word that he had threatened to block her and her  _ damned triple word score _ . The media painted them as  _ The Apollo and Artemis of Business _ , something that Lena actually had to call to complain about to Kara after  _ People _ had emblazoned them across the cover.

 

_ “-if we should be called anything I’d vote for Thing One and Thing Two. _ ”

 

“Don’t be so harsh on yourself, I’d say you’d give Artemis a run for her money.”

 

_ “I have no desire to be a goddess nor pretend to be one.” _ She had grumbled, and Kara agreed with her to make her feel better, definitely ignoring the little voice in the back of her head that said  _ you are to me _ .

 

Kara defiantly ignored that little nagging voice. It only seemed like it wanted to cause trouble.

 

* * *

 

It was somewhere in week five that Harold rushed in one rainy spring morning looking haggard and grungy in what looked like the previous day’s clothes. Kara took in the shadow of stubble on his thin cheeks and the dark circles under his eyes at a glance and sprang into action as he started rattling off his order. While he was checking out Kara passed a styrofoam cup over.

 

“Coffee on me, you look like you could use it.”

 

Harold’s face twisted minutely and Kara thought he was going to start crying right then and there. “You’re too nice, you know that?”

 

Kara swiped the company card and gave it back, crinkling her nose at the comment almost in exasperation. “I just… It’s a double-edged sword. Lena’s told me that too.”

 

Harold looked almost murderous. “Well it’s true and Miss Luthor is always right. And sometimes I hate that even if it’s for the right thing. I miss my bed and my cat…” He glanced up at Kara’s dark expression and quickly clarified. “Oh! Oh, no I’m not mad at her. I’m mad at the situation. And… Just… she uncovered some things yesterday and it hasn’t been pretty… and I shouldn’t have even said that much.”

 

“Oh. Well. Don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul. You can let, uh, Miss Luthor know that I’m available if she needs me.”

 

Harold gave her a funny look and Kara quickly cleared her throat.

 

“For emotional support! She, uh-she co-owns  _ Books and Bytes _ next door. We’re good friends.”

 

“...oh. I didn’t know that… but I feel like I should have.” He looked surprised but still a little suspicious of her. “ _ Good _ friends?”

 

“Yeah. Uh. Well anyways, I hope whatever it is resolves itself quickly.”

 

Harold snapped back to his task and gathered up the boxes. “Yes! Me too. I’ll see you soon, Miss Danvers.”

 

He was out the door in a blur as Kara pulled out her phone and shot off a text.

 

_ Harold looked like he hadn’t slept. I hope you got some rest. _

 

When no immediate response was forthcoming she tucked her phone into her back pocket and got back to work. Around eleven her phone buzzed and she tried her best to be patient until she could answer it. Fifteen minutes later she finally got around to it and nearly called Lena right then.

 

_ I haven’t either, it’s been a rough thirty hours. Could really use a hug. _

 

_ I can swing by this evening? _

 

_ After seven, please. I’ll leave a notice at the front desk to let you up. I’m on the top floor to the right, farthest office from the elevators. _

 

Kara sent a series of OK and thumbs up emojis and then forced herself to get back to work. She mulled over what to do as she continued to mix and prepare recipes, falling quiet without meaning to. Julia had approached her a couple hours later with worry written into her expression.

 

“Everything alright?”

 

“Oh! Um. Kinda? I mean  _ I _ am, physically, but I’m worried about Lena.”

 

“Ahh, I see.” She crossed her arms across her chest with a thoughtful expression. “Ok so tell me friend to friend, what’s going on with Lena?”

 

“I… I don’t know. It’s a LuthorCorp thing so I’m not allowed to know-legally y’know-and uh… apparently her entire office hasn’t slept.” Kara chose her next words carefully. “She said she needed a friendly face so I told her I could drop by this evening. I just don’t know what to bring her. Food? A blanket? Do you think LuthorCorp would allow sweatpants?”

 

Julia cracked a smile as Kara rambled on and held out a hand to slow her. “Why don’t you start with a meal and something comforting to drink? If she’s already eaten she can save it for later.”

 

Kara nodded with her, brain mulling over what she knew Lena liked. “Ok, I can do that.”

 

“One more thing, Kara.”

 

The soft tone in Julia made her busy thoughts slow and Kara refocused on her, frowning at the gentle expression and sad eyes. She knew what was coming and didn’t know if she should be thankful or frustrated that she had a group of incredibly patient and intuitive friends.

 

“It doesn’t have to be now, or even soon. Hell, I’d wait until after this CEO bullshit is over. But Kara? You should tell her how you feel. What you’re feeling is special and important and I would hate for you to make the same mistake I did and let her slip away before you can say it.”

 

Kara could feel herself deflate and she propped her hands onto her hips, digging her fingers in to try to anchor herself and slow her heart. She hadn’t even had the courage to say it out loud to herself yet, how could she even think about telling Lena? She was jolted out of her worried thoughts when gentle hands squeezed her shoulders. Kara looked up and directly into Julia’s warm dark brown eyes.

 

“Like I said, it doesn’t have to be right this second. You love with your whole being, Kara. I haven’t met many people like you and it’s incredible how you hold others up. My grandmother told me that even the strongest pillars need support. Let me and Winn and Nia be your support. If things don’t work out, we’ll catch you.”

 

Julia gave her a soft smile and squeezed Kara’s shoulders one more time before getting back to work. Before she got too far Kara called out softly, furiously blinking back tears.

 

“Have I been that obvious?”

 

Julia laughed freely.

 

“According to Winn? Since day one, my dear. Since day one.”

 

* * *

 

Kara smoothed down her patterned button-up and shifted the small canvas tote bag on her shoulder nervously as she stood on the wide sidewalk in front of the LuthorCorp building. The yellow street lamps reflected warmly on the green glass face and glinted like muted gold on the polished steel. Kara sucked in a deep breath, feeling the stretch and pull in her ribs, then started up the stairs and nodded politely at the doorman who opened the door for her. The inside of the lobby was all white and black marble polished to a mirror shine, deep red accents in the furniture, and warm brass finishes. There were a few stragglers leaving and entering the building as well though they paid her no mind. At the far end of the lobby there was a long desk manned by one woman this late in the evening, and four security guards waiting around turnstiles that led into the elevator bank and the building proper. Her nice low-heeled boots clicked loudly on the floor and Kara tried to walk softer when all of the eyes from the security team landed on her.

 

“Excuse me, I’m here to see Miss Luthor?” She asked as she reached the counter.

 

The woman was maybe about her age, wearing formal business attire and a slightly suspicious expression accentuated by a severed updo.

 

“ID please.”

 

Kara nodded and dug her wallet out of her jacket pocket, slipping the license from the sleeve and handing it to the woman. She took one glance at it and handed it back, typed in a few things on her computer hidden behind the barrier, and then Kara heard something printing. The secretary slipped a piece of paper into a plastic sleeve with a metal clip and handed it over.

 

“Use this at the security checkpoint scanner to get through the turnstile and keep it clipped and visible at all times.”

 

“Thank you very much.” Kara took the temporary badge with a smile that was barely returned. “Have a good evening.”

 

“And you, Miss Danvers.”

 

Kara stepped away and held her wallet and new badge to her chest. The four security guards straightened up when she approached and watched her pass through as she tapped the badge on the sensor pad and pushed through the turnstile. Kara smiled pleasantly at them too and passed on to the elevators, breathing a sigh of relief when they didn’t stop her. She picked a call button at random and the elevator to her left slid open with a soft  _ ding _ . Kara stepped in and pressed the silver button at the very top, 45. The door hissed closed and Kara rode the elevator up in silence, focusing on her breathing and clipping the temporary visitors badge to her jacket lapel. She had texted Lena when she left her apartment to let her know she was on her way but hadn’t gotten a response. Kara had worried that she had maybe forgotten, but the badge she now possessed took care of some of that fear.

 

The elevator slowed with a gentle roll and the doors opened with another soft  _ ding _ into a dimly lit floor. There were a few people still working late, eerily illuminated by their monitor screens. Kara strode on down the main aisle and was glad her boots were muffled on the dark carpet. The floor was an odd kind of stillness that made her feel like she didn’t belong there and stepped as lightly as she could. It reminded her of what her high school had felt like after classes had finished. Eerily calm but not entirely welcoming.

 

Her long strides quickly ate up the distance and before she knew it, Kara was at the opposite side of the floor and turning right down another wide aisle towards the sound of more people working. As she started walking towards the better lit area the familiar figure of Harold emerged from a dark wooden door at the very end of the hall. He looked down the hall and noticed her, forcing himself into a sluggish jog in her direction with his hand raised in a tired greeting. His blazer had been abandoned and his tie was loosened and tucked in between the buttons on his chest, the wrinkled sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows.

 

“Miss Danvers! Miss Luthor told me you were on your way over.” He slowed and turned to fall in step with her. “Right this way.”

 

“How are you all holding up, Harold?”

 

He stifled a yawn as he led her to the door he had just exited. “I think the worst has passed for now. She’s been sending people home in groups.”

 

Kara nodded and let him lead the last couple steps. “That sounds reassuring.”

 

Harold glanced back over his shoulder as he knocked. “I hope so.” He cracked the door open. “Miss Luthor? Miss Danvers is here to see you.”

 

_ “Send her in. And go home, Harold. Get some rest.” _

 

“Right this way.” He stepped in and held the door wide and turned back into the room. “Miss Luthor if you aren’t leaving then my job is to stay.”

 

Kara stepped through the doorway and into a dim and spacious office, ostentatious in its deep red and mahogany. It had furniture straight out of a high end designer catalogue, fine art in gilded frames on the walls, and every available surface was strewn with stacks of documents and file folders. Lena rose to her feet from behind a massive wood desk that matched the room, the blue light from her computer reflecting on the floor to ceiling glass wall behind her that led out to a generous balcony. She looked almost pristine in her pressed black and cream pantsuit and immaculate hairdo, but her tired expression gave away how long she had been in the office.

 

“And my job is to make sure you don’t drop from exhaustion. You’ve done great work for me yesterday and today. Please, go home.”

 

Kara watched the exchange silently, noting the strong dedication in her assistant’s posture. She could tell that Harold really respected her as a person, not just as a boss. He was also far more confident now than when she first met him and Kara couldn’t help but be proud of Harold. Kara realized that Lena seemed to do that with her presence, to encourage you and bring out the best. She certainly had for Kara.

 

“Miss Luthor, I insist.”

 

Lena rounded the desk and sent a small genuine smile at Kara with a gesture to  _ wait just a moment, please _ . “If I promise to leave by nine will you go home and sleep?”

 

Harold looked like he was about to protest but Kara stepped up and looked carefully towards Lena, hoping she wasn’t about to overstep.

 

“Maybe she’ll let me hang out and I can make sure she goes home.”

 

Lena quirked a brow at her as she came to a halt about three feet from them and propped her hands on her hips. The dark circles under her eyes were visible now and Kara could see a noticeable droop in her shoulders. It wasn’t just a single night’s exhaustion though. Kara could tell that Lena hadn’t been resting well for a while and a pang of worry wormed into her heart.

 

“Miss Danvers, please. Otherwise she might not leave.” Harold gave her a pointed look that obviously alluded to previous events. Lena threw her hands up and rolled her eyes.

 

“I can’t make any promises. But Harold?  _ Go. Home _ .”

 

The energy bled out of his thin frame and he sighed tiredly. “Yes, Miss Luthor.” He glanced back and forth from Lena’s strong no-nonsense look and Kara’s gentle smile and frowned in resignation. “Goodnight, Miss Luthor. Call me if you need anything.”

 

Lena softened and crossed her arms across her chest. “I will, thank you. Goodnight, Harold.”

 

The assistant nodded again, wished Kara a goodnight as well, and then slipped out of the office with a soft click of the door. Lena’s shoulders dropped with the mask she was holding in place for Harold and gave Kara more of a grimace than a smile.

 

“Hi.”

 

Kara opened her arms and stepped forward. “C’mere, you.”

 

Lena nearly collapsed into Kara, winding her arms around her ribs and grabbing at the back of her shoulders to press in as firmly as she could with her nose in Kara’s neck. Kara crushed her to her chest and squeezed tightly, trying to pour every ounce of strength and comfort she had into her touch. She tried not to feel too guilty about selfishly enjoying the hug and how warm Lena felt against her.

 

“Oh, you’re a sight for sore eyes. I’ve been missing you for weeks…” Lena murmured into Kara’s collar.

 

The office was quiet except for their breathing and Kara held Lena for a long moment until she felt her fingers loosen from their grip on her jacket. Lena pulled back slightly, her hands sliding down and resting warmly on Kara’s waist. Kara released her hold from her shoulders and tentatively let her hands squeeze at her biceps.

 

“Thank you. I needed that.” Lena murmured, already looking a little bit more relaxed.

 

Kara couldn’t help the warm smile. “Of course, any time… How are you holding up?”

 

Lena sighed wearily and stepped away and beckoned her to follow her to one of the couches. Kara missed her warmth immediately and eagerly followed, letting the canvas tote bag slip down from her shoulder. They collapsed onto the couch together and Kara dug into her bag and set a series of tupperwares on the loaded coffee table.

 

“I didn’t know if you had eaten yet so I brought you some stuff, plus the pan au chocolats were perfect today so one of those, and-” She pulled out a thermos. “-a little pick-me-up.”

 

Lena slumped back into the couch and smiled in relief at Kara. “You brought me chocolate and alcohol?”

 

“I-well just a little? It helped last time so I just thought maybe you’d want something familiar and-“

 

A warm hand slid over Kara’s forearm and anchored her from her rambling. “Kara, darling, it’s okay. You’re very thoughtful and the people in corporate tend to be a bit more cutthroat than you. I’ve only been here a few weeks but I had forgotten how cold it can all be.”

 

“I… well they should learn a little compassion.”

 

Lena snorted and heaved herself from the couch. “Compassion doesn't often work in the corporate world. Not everyone is a ray of sunshine like you are.”

 

Kara couldn’t help but blush at the compliment and nervously rearranged the containers and pulled the napkins and cutlery from the bag while Lena dug in a cabinet for two mugs. The heat from where her hand had rested lingered and Kara held back from running her hand over the spot. Lena returned to the couch a moment later, kicked her shoes off with a grumble, and tucked herself back into her seat a little closer to Kara. Kara couldn’t help the shy smile and handed her a tupperware with warm curry and jasmine rice.

 

“This is from that little Indian place we went to after we had a day of bad souffles, do you remember?”

 

“I do, it was wonderful. You made a trip just for me?” Lena teased and stirred up her meal, humming happily as she smelled the riot of spices.

 

Kara raised a brow with a grin in her own teasing retort as she popped open the lid on her container. “You should know by now that I only give you the best, darling.”

 

It was Lena’s turn to blush and she smiled, opening her mouth as if to say something more, but instead took a bite of her curry. After a moment she muttered around a new bite, “You’re a dangerous tease, Miss Danvers.”

 

“ _ Me? _ I think it takes one to know one.” Kara grinned impishly and prodded Lena’s shoulder playfully.

 

“Stoppit. You’ve been talking to Jack, haven’t you?”

 

“And if I have?”

 

“Then I’m in trouble having to wrangle not one but  _ two _ rambunctious children.”

 

Kara made a scandalized noise and poked Lena in the side, making her squirm. “You take that back.”

 

“Or what?”

 

“Or I take my dinner and move to that couch.” She pointed across the coffee table to a second couch covered in stacks of files. “...or maybe the floor.”

 

It apparently wasn’t the answer Lena was expecting but it wasn’t the wrong one and she laughed loudly, the weird tension that had been building between them eased and they fell into their old rhythm. Kara could feel that she and Lena had been toeing the line of something. She wanted more than anything to see exactly what that was, but she didn’t want to put anything else on Lena’s plate. Right now Lena needed something that was low maintenance and she was more than happy to leave their friendship at that for the time being.

 

Kara filled her in with what had been going on at the bakery and passed along a message from Jess that  _ Books and Bytes _ was doing well and she needn’t worry about them. Lena told Kara what she was able but it was all very vague due to what she could and couldn’t legally disclose. They shared the pan au chocolat and irish coffee without the whipped cream, their shoulders touching and Lena’s knee pressed into the side of Kara’s thigh. Lena was trying to tell Kara about a printer mishap when she couldn’t hold back a jaw-cracking yawn.

 

“... _ Oh _ my god, I’m sorry… maybe I will go home in a minute.” She muttered into her spiked coffee and leaned heavily into Kara’s side.

 

“You should get some sleep, I don’t understand how you’re still conscious. This will all be here when you get back y’know.”

 

“I know, I know.” Lena couldn’t help but yawn again. “Let me get some things in order for tomorrow and I’ll give you a ride home.”

 

“You don’t have to do that-”

 

Lena turned towards her, a little closer than Kara realized and her protest died on her lips. It was cliched and Kara nearly rolled her eyes at herself, but even exhausted she thought Lena looked amazing. She couldn’t help but remember how soft and  _ cute _ she had looked the night she had stayed over during the snowstorm. The look she was giving her now reminded her of that.

 

“I  _ want _ to. Now sit tight, it won’t take me long.”

 

Lena drained the end of her coffee and climbed out of the couch. Kara tried not to think about how she seemed to take the warmth with her again. She packed up the empty tupperware and used cutlery while Lena padded barefoot back to the desk and worked for about ten more minutes. Kara rinsed their mugs out in the small ensuite and then quietly read through her own emails while she waited. Before she knew it Lena had organized the file folders on her desk and shut down the computer with yet another yawn. Kara rose to her feet and slipped her jacket back on and gathered her bag.

 

“Ready?”

 

“Mostly.” Lena grabbed her purse and phone, her coat over her arm. “Where… oh.” She spun in a small circle before spotting her shoes by the coffee table and trudged over.

 

Kara bit back a smile and let Lena hold onto her arm as she slipped her feet back into the heels. “I don’t know how you wear those all day.”

 

Lena shot her a deadpan look. “Painkillers and practice. I  _ do _ like them, but they can be a bit of a death trap.”

 

“My ankles hurt in sympathy.”

 

Lena rolled her eyes and gently pushed Kara towards the door. “Let’s go, Danvers.”

 

* * *

 

Over the next two months Kara was only able to see Lena one more time around her new CEO duties at LuthorCorp. Not three days after the first visit the news was full of nothing but the previous CEO’s scandal. It turned out the long sleepless night was because Lena had discovered far more than just embezzled funds and had immediately contacted the proper federal authorities to aide with the investigation. Information was still being uncovered, but there had been some illegal funding of domestic terror groups. Kara was proud of Lena, but her truthfulness had also painted a massive target on her back. It was one thing for Kara to accept that her friend would get some form of bad press, but to see actual threats of bodily harm hurled towards her made her furious. She had left Lena a worried voicemail to let her know that she was there if she needed her. Lena had returned the call the next day and Kara could still remember how she had sounded. Tired. Bitter. Scared.

 

“ _ Kara I need you to stay away. It’s for your own safety. Just for a little while.” _

 

_ “I don’t want you to go through this alone, Lena! Let me be there for you. You know I can kick some teeth in if I need to!” _

 

_ “I know! I know...but… I don’t think I could forgive myself if something happened to you. Just… please don’t do anything rash. Let the authorities work. I’ll let you know when it’s safe.” _

 

_ Kara had bitten her lip at Lena’s voice raised in frustration, hot tears prickling at the back of her eyes. _

 

_ “...promise?” _

 

_ “With all my heart.” _

 

Kara spent the next five weeks worrying over her safety and sending a few texts every other day with the picture of something lighthearted and innocuous. She sent Lena pictures of what she was making, of Winn covered in flour, the blossoms of the flowers in her window planters, interesting shots of reflecting light in rainwater, Jess flipping a drink shaker behind her back and up over her shoulder, Nia with a loaf of bread she had fashioned to look like the botched potato Jesus painting, her and Winn and Julia piping rather eloquent looking penises and vaginas onto cupcakes for a more interesting wedding party, and of course action-shot selfies. Each text got a response ranging from a single emoji to a short voice message depending on how much time she had. The more interesting cupcakes had prompted an actual phone call while Kara was cooking her dinner that evening.

 

“ _ Who are those for and can we crash their party?” _

 

Kara threw her head back in a laugh and gave her pasta a stir. “We might be able to but we would definitely need a wardrobe change and possibly some non-disclosure agreements.”

 

_ “Oh really? What kind of wardrobe are we talking here? _ ”

 

“Lots of leather, more on the BDSM side if I remember correctly.”

 

_ “Ah… well that could certainly be fun. I’m sure I’ve got an old leather halter top in my closet from college. I know I still have the skirt…” _

 

Kara knew that Lena was teasing but she could feel her heartbeat in inappropriate places as the mental image of Lena in leather came to the forefront of her mind.

 

“Oh really? I didn’t know that about you.”

 

Lena snorted a laugh through the phone. “ _ I was a goth kid, Kara.” _

 

“Sure, Jan.”

 

_ “Did you just quote a meme at me about my sex life?” _

 

“Are you confirming it?”

 

“ _ No, you heathen. If I knew any better I’d think YOU liked to get tied up and bossed around.” _

 

Kara fell silent for a long moment, “You know, I’d never really thought about it before.”

 

“ _ Sure, Jan. _ ”

 

Lena told her once or twice during that time that Kara’s messages helped keep her grounded and reminded her that her current job was only temporary. The weeks bled together and Kara did her best to be a positive point in Lena’s stressful day. Around the fourth week Lena called her late one night just to listen to her breathe. Kara waited and listened to her fall asleep over the line, staying awake as long as she could until her eyes were too heavy to hold open. At the end of the fifth week Kara finally breathed easily when the news broke that the upper echelons of those domestic terror groups had been subsequently arrested and dismantled. They may have been funded by one of the biggest tech giants in the western hemisphere, but apparently nothing can get past a Luthor when they’re on a mission and granted legal resources by the federal government. Kara had immediately called and left Lena a voicemail asking to see her or if she needed anything, eager to be in the same room with her again.

 

Lena had called her back that night and Kara was at her home faster than might have been legal. She didn’t remember much of the evening except barreling in through the open door and wrapping Lena up into a hug, and then holding her for a good bit of the evening. Lena had asked for her to stay and Kara gladly accepted the offer, buried under blankets in her bed and talking quietly late into the night. She remembered waking up pressed into Lena’s back feeling more at ease than she had in a long time, laying there until they couldn’t put off getting up any later. It was the best that Kara had rested in weeks and she couldn’t help but fall a little bit further for Lena when she had rolled over and buried her face in her chest with a content hum. They had murmured a quiet good morning and Kara could feel Lena breathing against her, the heat from her breath seeping into the fabric of her shirt over her collarbone. She had tentatively pressed a kiss to the top of her head and gotten a sigh and squeeze of a hug in response. However, it had led to a somewhat awkward conversation tinged with hope. Lena had propped herself up on her elbow, hair messy and expression soft as she brushed Kara’s hair off of her forehead, their legs still a bit tangled.

 

_ “Kara? We’re best friends, aren’t we?” _

 

_ “Yeah. Why?” _

 

_ Lena had looked at her thoughtfully and chewed on her lip nervously. “Do you think we’re a little more than that?” _

 

_ Kara had sat up at that, fully awake now and caught Lena’s hand when she let it fall away. She wrapped her hands around Lena’s and pulled it into her blanket covered lap, looking down at her from the new angle. Her heart crawled up into her throat and she exhaled shakily. _

 

_ “I… I think we might be. Is that okay?” _

 

_ “...the timing isn’t too great.” _

 

_ Kara laughed and released Lena’s hand, feeling her heart drop into her stomach. “No, probably not. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” _

 

_ “Kara.” Lena sat up and took her hands again, urgency creeping into her voice. “Kara, I’m not saying no. I’m just saying not yet. I want to be able to give you my full attention and I can’t with LuthorCorp. Will you, um… Will you wait for me? And then we can see what this is?” _

 

_ Kara let herself look at Lena’s face and nearly cried from the desperation tinging her green eyes, wishing that she could gather the courage to lean forward and kiss her. But knew she couldn’t. They couldn’t. Not yet. Lena was right, she had to be patient. She squeezed her hands. _

 

_ “I promise.” _

 

Kara had left after that and taken a cab home at six in the morning, but not before pulling Lena into another tight hug and told her to call her if she needed anything. Lena had meekly wished her a goodbye, a far cry from the usually bold and confident woman that Kara knew. It was jarring, but she knew that Lena needed to deal with what was on her plate first before they even began to process what was on theirs.

 

Thankfully, the next few weeks passed without any other incident and Lena kept her informed on how the search for a new CEO was progressing. In the wake of the corporate scandal the support she received from Lex and his unwavering faith in her cast a lot of the venomous bad press into the darkness and Kara could have honestly sent him a card and cake for his actions. She actually texted Lena if she could but only received a shrugging emoji in return with a  _ he likes chocolate, go ahead if you want _ . So she did.

 

Based off of what Kara knew about Lex and their relationship from Lena, they were very much like her and Alex. She was curious to meet him, but terrified at the thought of it. Kara knew what it was like to have a close relationship with a sibling but she had never really been on onlooker for another family. She warned Lena that if she ever did meet him she wanted a more than fair warning so she could prepare. Lena had told her it was only fair if she did the same for her sister. Kara made a mental note to talk to Alex in the near future.

 

Lex sent her a hand written thank you note for the cake and told her to watch over his baby sister when he couldn’t.

 

Kara fell back into her routine at the bakery easily after the long morning at Lena’s. She had showed up around seven-thirty and almost made up a story, but ended up telling Winn where she had been. He had almost looked like he was going to tease her about it, but had seen something in her expression and instead thanked her for letting him know she would be late the night before and gotten back to work without another word. Kara had felt funny about the interaction all morning and when she decided to corner him at lunch about it, he only told her that  _ you only miss work for important reasons and I’m not gonna make light of that _ . She had to hug him at that and he had kindly reciprocated, knowing that it was her way of expressing gratitude for his understanding.

 

Harold had shown up later that morning as well with an enormous order and they had ended up having to substitute a few things when they ran out. He had told Kara that  _ Miss Luthor _ had showed up a little later than usual looking better rested and a little broody, but ultimately relieved after the past tense weeks. She could feel Winn trying not to look at her as he listened in and she was grateful for his discretion.

 

Kara discovered it was getting more difficult every day to not say anything.

 

* * *

 

Business progressed as usual from May into June with the heat of summer and a riot of rainbow pastries and cakes. They were trying some new ideas in the form of rainbow swirled cheesecake cupcakes, danishes with pastel fillings, pride flag-themed cupcakes, experimental fruity puff pastry concoctions with interesting punny names, and a tip jar dedicated to Miss Major’s Retirement Fund. The flags were back up on the awning and curling from the humidity, and Winn had expanded the bulletin board to detail the Pride events going on in the city. The board was a test trial to try to make more information readily available for the everyday customer and to eventually open it up to a public messaging board. Nia proposed fundraiser ideas and Julia helped her lead small bake sales for local queer charity needs. Hector even came back part time after graduating as he searched for a job, spending his mornings at the bakery and his afternoons next door at  _ Books and Bytes _ . Jess still swung by a few times a week for a few scones and caught up with Kara over how business and life was going. Kara was glad to have all of them in her life and they definitely made it richer and more exciting.

 

Around one in the afternoon Kara’s phone dinged with a news alert for Lena and she had to wait a moment until she could get to it. It was a paparazzi photo of her hailing a cab, pristine in a jewel toned silk blouse and tight pencil skirt with her big purse slung over her shoulder, holding her heels in her free hand. Her face was half covered by stylish large black sunglasses and Kara could’ve sworn she was holding back a smile. She wandered over to Julia who was organizing the drink station after the lunch rush.

 

“Hey Julia? What do you make of this?”

 

Julia paused in her task to load more napkins into the despensers and took Kara’s phone, snorting a laugh as she saw the screen. “Looks like a free woman to me.”

 

Kara took her phone back and looked at the picture for a long moment, and then pocketed it, moving out of the way of a new influx of customers. “You think so?”

 

“That’s my guess.” Julia shrugged and started wrapping up her organizing, Kara missing the quick grin brightening her features as she frowned off in no direction in particular.

 

Kara shifted her weight from foot to foot, listening to Winn and Nia greet the new arrivals behind her. “...I hope she’s doing okay.”

 

“I am.”

 

Kara nearly jumped out of her skin at the voice that appeared near her elbow and spun to find Lena Luthor herself standing there with a wide smile.

 

“ _ Lena!! _ ”

 

Their laughter rang out in the bakery as Kara crushed Lena to her in a flour-covered hug, rocking them back and forth as she made happy sounds in her chest. They separated to an arm length and Kara looked her over noticing that she was a little thin, a little haggard, definitely tired, but looking completely at ease and very much like the Lena she remembered.

 

“You’re  _ here _ .”

 

“I’m here. We closed out the selection process late last night and appointed the new CEO this morning. I am officially free of corporate america.” She bobbed her head to the side as if taking back her words. “For now.”

 

Kara’s shoulders slumped in her own form of relief and she swung their joined hands in front of them. “Well we’ll deal with that if it happens again, but I’m glad that’s over. You were too good for them, Lena.”

 

Lena rolled her eyes and started pulling Kara toward the counter, tossing a wink over her shoulder at a snickering Julia. “You flatter me, Miss Danvers.”

 

“I speak nothing but the  _ truth _ , Miss Luthor.” Kara retorted dramatically and bumped their shoulders together when Lena huffed in feigned annoyance. “Did you come here just to see me or can I send some pastries with you?”

 

“I  _ did _ come here to see you, but I’m also going to  _ buy _ some pastries from you now that I’m here and missed lunch. I don’t have to fit in these  _ fucking _ pencil skirts anymore and I want to eat something that isn’t a kale salad. Preferably with a lot of sugar and until I can’t move.”

 

Kara snorted a laugh and slipped around the counter with an easy grin. “You know if I didn’t know you I’d ding you with the  _ no shoes no service _ rule. What can I get you?”

 

Lena rolled her eyes and shoved her shoes into her purse, studying the case as other customers dodged around her while Winn and Nia called out short greetings in between orders.

 

“One of everything.”

 

“Okay! One of everything it is. Just in the case, or gluten free options too?”

 

“Just in the case, please.”

 

Kara nodded moved methodically down the entire glass front from top to bottom, carefully fitting the enormous order of pastries into a set of three large board boxes around her other coworkers. She handed them purposefully to Lena without walking her to the register.

 

“Kara let me pay for these.”

 

“Nope.”

 

“Kara, seriously. How much?”

 

“No.”

 

“Kara.”

 

“No.”

 

“ _ Kara. _ ”

 

“ _ No. _ ”

 

Lena narrowed her eyes at the determined look Kara had plastered to her face and dug out her wallet, shoving her heels aside with a grumble of annoyance. She pulled out what could have easily been a couple hundred dollars and shoved them unceremoniously into the tip jar and grabbed the boxes without breaking eye contact.

 

“ _ Lena!! _ ”

 

“ _ No _ .”

 

Winn couldn’t hold in his snicker and counted out one of the smaller bills that Lena had crammed into the tip jar after ringing up the order and placed them into the register. He held out the change to Lena but dumped it back into the tip jar with the rest of the money when she shook her head.

 

_ “Winn!! _ ”

 

“Oh hush, Kara. She wanted to pay.” He turned to Lena with a wink. “Glad to have you back, Luthor. We missed you over here.”

 

“Thank you, Winn.” She smiled at him and her eyes slid back to a slightly annoyed Kara when he turned to help a new customer. “I’ll call you?”

 

“I’d like that.”

 

Lena wished her a shy goodbye and Kara watched her go, warmth dancing in her chest. She felt lighter than she had in a while and went about the rest of the day with a bounce in her step.

 

* * *

 

At around three in the afternoon her phone buzzed with a text from Jess and Kara didn’t even try to keep her laugh in check when she saw what it was. It was a picture of Lena sprawled spread eagle on the floor in her personal library, wearing the sweatpants and tee that Kara had lent her the night before she had started her stint at LuthorCorp all those months ago. The three pastry boxes were arranged around her with various items missing from each, and what looked like half a croissant sticking out of her mouth in the middle of chewing while flat on her back. It was very undignified in a charming manner. A second text came through and Kara read,

 

_ She was hoping to ask you over to help eat them but she got carried away. Now she insists she can’t get up. _

 

Kara bit her lip and grinned, shooting off a response that she would be there shortly. She helped clean up the front and then got Winn and Nia and Julia all organized and squared away. She was trying to figure out when she could duck out when Julia tugged her aside untied the apron from around her waist.

 

“Go. We’ll be fine.”

 

“But-”

 

“Kara,  _ go _ . We can handle the prep for tomorrow. Do you want to let Nia try those new fruit tarts?”

 

“I-uh-yeah. Sure, that sounds good.”

 

“Good.” She gave Kara a gentle push towards the break room. “Now go. We’ll call if we need anything.”

 

Kara swallowed down the burn from threatening tears and nodded, managing a strangled  _ thank you _ before wishing them a goodnight, gathering her things, and slipping from the bakery. Kare definitely ignored Winn’s playful catcalling. She bounded up the steps to her apartment and shot a text to Jess to see if she needed anything. Kara let herself in and got cleaned up as quickly as she could, throwing on a clean shirt and pair of shorts and re-tying her hair up into a curled ponytail. A text came back from Jess saying that Lena  _ wants a pick-me-up, whatever that means _ . Kara laughed and set about filling the coffee pot and pulled out the hand mixer. The weather was a little warm for a hot drink, but it was their  _ thing _ and she was happy to oblige.

 

_ Irish coffee. Want me to bring you some? _

 

She set her phone down and pulled out a small carton of cream. It went into a metal bowl and she had at it with the whisk attachment on high while she kept an eye on her phone for a response. Within minutes the pot was full of fresh coffee and the whipped cream was being loaded into a container. Jess had finally texted back with an  _ I’m good but thank you _ and Kara sent her a thumbs up emoji. Lastly she grated down a block of semi sweet chocolate from her refrigerator into a smaller container and packed everything up into her canvas tote bag.

 

Kara was out the door in a flash and thundering down the steps after making sure everything was locked up tight at the last minute. As she passed the bakery and entered into  _ Books and Bytes _ her heartrate picked up in excitement to see Lena. She waved at Jess parked behind the cafe counter and strode on to the back and past the break room and restrooms. Her phone buzzed again with a text from Jess that let her know the closet was unlocked and to go on up.

 

Kara took a deep breath and held it as she carefully twisted the door handle and let herself into the janitorial closet. The light was on inside and the stairs reflected dully from the light filtering down from the second floor. As she climbed the tight spiral staircase she could hear faint jazz music playing, a clever pianist tripping up and down the octaves. Lena’s personal library was dimly lit and gave off an overwhelming aura of comfort and coziness. Kara breathed in the smells of books and leather, feeling immediately at home.

 

Kara ventured further into the familiar space and found the living area converted into a nest of pillows and blankets on the floor. Lena was sitting cross-legged in front of the coffee table where the three open boxes of pastries sat. Kara slowed and drank her in, from her messy bun, to the straight line of her nose where her glasses slid down, the sharp angle of her jaw, the gentle slope of her shoulders and curve of her back as she slouched. She looked up when she heard Kara’s footsteps and a bright smile blossomed across her face.

 

“ _ Kara. _ ”

 

She climbed to her feet in the blink of an eye and Kara met her in the middle as she closed the gap between them. Kara wrapped Lena up into another hug and held her as tightly as she dared, her nose pressing into the crook of her neck with a long sigh. The fragrance of her perfume brought back memories of New Year’s.

 

“ _ I missed you.” _

 

She felt Lena wrap her arms even tighter around her ribs and press her face into her neck with her admission, her breath washing against her in a shaky exhale.

 

“I missed you too.  _ So much _ .”

 

Kara didn’t know how long she stood there holding Lena. Neither one of them wanted to let go after the prolonged period of separation and stress. Kara ran her hand up and down Lena’s spine in a soothing motion as she felt her breathe steadily against her. She propped her chin on Lena’s shoulder and remembered the bag on her shoulder.

 

“Do you want to sit for a bit?”

 

“How long are you planning to stay?”

 

“As long as you want me to.”

 

Lena low laugh vibrated into her chest and she pulled back, her face pink and her eyes flickering in the direction of Kara’s mouth. “How about you help me eat these pastries and we’ll see?”

 

A grin tugged at the corner of Kara’s lips and she settled down into the nest and began to unload her tote bag.

 

“Did you bite off more than you can chew?”

 

Lena shot her a deadpan look and raised a finger threateningly.

 

“Do not.”

 

Kara snickered and pulled the two goofy mugs she had brought towards her and fixed their drinks, putting extra whiskey in Lena’s and extra whipped cream on both. She managed to only get a few chocolate shavings on the table when she generously spooned them on last. Lena cradled her mug in her slender hands and took a big sip with a happy hum, licking the cream off her lip as she started perusing the boxes of pastries again.

 

“What will you do now that you’re done at LuthorCorp?” Kara asked.

 

Lena set her drink down and cut a lavender and mascarpone danish in half, pushing the box towards Kara in an unspoken invitation to have the rest of it. Kara picked it up and took a healthy bite, making a sound of approval and a mental note to tell Julia to think about rotating that flavor in more often.

 

“I’m going to sleep for a few days and then go back to work with Jess. I’ve already been thinking of some hypotheses I’d like to address in the lab, so I’m sure I’ll be in there soon.” She paused and glanced towards Kara.

 

“I’d like to host a dinner for our friends to catch up. And I saw a macaron recipe I’d like to try?”

 

Kara finished her mouthful and nodded, “We can do that. I had been trying to send you some of our newer ideas when Hector was making runs but I’m not sure if they got to you. Did you see them?”

 

Lena smiled softly and fiddled with her half of the danish. “I did, thank you. It wasn’t anything like our Sunday afternoons but I’m glad you kept sending them. It was a nice surprise and you broke the monotony.”

 

Kara nudged her knee against Lena’s gently. “Good. I didn’t want you to turn into a zombie on me.”

 

Lena rolled her eyes and bit politely into her pastry, a blush warming her cheeks. “I was pretty close some days.”

 

“I would have let you bite me.”

 

Lena laughed raucously around her mouthful and pushed playfully at Kara’s shoulder. “And you were teasing  _ ME _ for having a leather kink.”

 

Kara groaned and buried her face into her mug and took a deep drink, the whiskey warming her stomach. “ _ Every time _ .”

 

Lena laughed a little softer this time and picked up a napkin. She reached out and wiped the whipped cream from the tip of Kara’s nose.

 

“Darling, you are far too easy to tease.”

 

Jess found them an hour later, sprawled out in the nest of blankets and pillows with bellies full of too many pastries and a lot of irish whiskey. They heard her snort, pause and then the sound of her phone taking a picture.

 

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing incriminating. Lena, can I post to the Books Instagram?”

 

Lena hummed a  _ sure _ from the floor and sighed tiredly, the exhaustion from the long couple months weighing heavy on her body.

 

“Great. Do you guys want me to call a cab or are you going to just camp out up here for a bit? Well… it’s barely four-thirty, so how about I go get you some water. Day drinking heathens.”

 

Kara gave her a lazy thumbs up and fumbled for her phone somewhere next to her mostly empty mug when she heard it vibrate with a new notification. Jess wandered off a moment later and Kara squinted at the screen, exhaling heavily through her tingling numb nose when she noticed that Jess had tagged her in an Instagram post. She swiped into her phone and pulled up the new post, smiling into her forearm when she studied it. Kara was laying face down in a nest of pillows, her boots ditched and looking relaxed. Lena was perpendicular to her, laying on her stomach with her head resting just below Kara’s shoulder blades and an arm curled loosely around her ribs, their faces turned away from the camera. The pastry boxes were now mostly empty and on the coffee table next to their mugs and a mostly empty bottle of whiskey. It looked cozy and they looked incredibly comfortable together. Kara smiled goofily at the caption and liked the post.

 

_ @karasbakerync helped us welcome back Lena from her stint with corporate business. -J #bffsbringboozeandpastries #thequeenreturns #andsheswantsanap _

 

* * *

 

A few days later on a sunny friday morning Kara got a text from Lena asking if she could bring her a gift after Kara got off from work. She had told her she wanted to give her something for the support that Kara had showed her during the spring-and that she  _ knew _ it wasn’t necessary but she  _ wanted _ to do it. Kara had relented and told her to come over any time after three, that she didn’t need to wait until she was home. Winn had been away at CatCo the entire day and Nia and Julia had both had to duck out early for personal matters so she was hoping for the company. It had thankfully been a relatively slow day and Kara had enjoyed taking the time to speak to her regular customers and welcome the new faces. Even with the steady flow of customers it still felt a little lonely in the kitchen.

 

The day had crawled by and Kara found herself fidgeting, wishing for once that time would just fast forward until she could see Lena again. A solitary notecard lay sentinel on the counter face down behind the register, its purpose the source of the nervous energy. She had tried carrying it around in her back pocket for a few hours but it burned at the back of her mind and she had kept it at a safe but visible distance. Her lunch had tasted bland and sat heavily in her stomach as her anxiety encroached. Kara knew that she didn’t  _ really _ have anything to worry about, but she couldn’t help it. Her mind kept wandering back to the conversation that they had in Lena’s bed and the phrase  _ not yet _ kept echoing in her head over and over. How soon was too soon? How late was too late? She had almost texted Winn  _ how long does not yet mean _ around lunch, typing and deleting it about six times before giving up. Kara wanted to make sure she wasn’t jumping down Lena’s throat before she was ready. She wanted to do this right.

 

Finally, three rolled around and Kara flipped the sign from  _ open _ to  _ closed _ with a mix of relief and nerves. Before Lena had a chance to come over, she retrieved the notecard from it’s spot by the register and placed it at the front of the tray for the last few apple rose tarts. In an effort to keep herself calm and keep her restless energy in check Kara went through the daily motions of cleaning up the bakery. She wiped the tables and beverage station counter down before sweeping the floors. The small tables outside got wiped down and straightened up and the little patio swept of debris. Next she started removing and organizing what didn’t sell in the glass cases to go into the donation boxes for the week’s local homeless shelter. Kara left one solitary apple rose tart dusted with powdered sugar on the tray with the temporary notecard.

 

She was enjoying the quiet somewhere in between the general clean up of the kitchen and starting to assemble her ingredients for the Saturday morning pastries when the door chimed quietly and soft footsteps approached the counter.

 

Kara’s heart immediately leapt into her throat and she turned towards the sound, spying Lena walking up to the counter. She wiped her hands on her flour dusted apron and stepped forward, studying her carefully. She was wearing come kind of simple black graphic tee cut high into a crop top, black jeans and heeled boots. Much more the vision of Lena she was used to and not the Lena in powersuits that cost more than her monthly rent. Her hair was swept back into a sleek ponytail and her hands were clutching an aged book to her chest. She hadn’t greeted Kara yet, her bright green eyes wide in wonder and trained on the fluorescent pink note card that simply read,

 

_ Faulkner, may I take you on a date? _

 

With every passing second Kara felt her nerves rise with the color in her face. For a split second Kara had thought that she had majorly misstepped in the situation but the words kept dying in her throat. Lena opened and closed her mouth a couple times, a blush painting her high cheekbones and crawling down her neck. Kara carefully rounded the glass display counter and stopped about three feet from Lena with her fingers twisted in front of her, her heart beating painfully high in her chest. Lena finally met her gaze, her face open and trusting and simply handed her the book. Confused, Kara took it and looked it over gently.

 

It was an older book, the plastic film covering wrapped around it was scratched in places and yellowing with age and the cover itself was slightly faded. On the red cover was a smiling man wearing a chef’s toque blanche holding an elegantly shaped geometric cake in his hands. The black script read  _ Lenôtre’s Desserts and Pastries _ and Kara’s brows raised in surprise at the thoughtful gift. The man on the cover was considered to be one of the greatest pastry chefs in history, and someone Kara appreciated for the craft.

 

“It’s… it’s a first edition. It wasn’t too terrible to track down, and I didn’t know if you already had it-I asked Winn and he didn’t think so, but I wanted you to have it.”

 

Kara looked up at her at a loss for words, the book held gently in her hands. “I-no. I don’t have it. Thank you, Lena, this is… this is amazing.”

 

Lena took a tentative step forward, her eyes flickering back to the bold notecard in the glass case for a split second, then back to Kara.

 

“Open it? Please?”

 

Kara nodded mutely and carefully opened the book to the front cover. The spine creaked with age and the smell of old paper and ink and nostalgia reminded her of Lena’s library above  _ Books and Bytes _ . Inside was a carefully placed light blue sticky note with a message scrawled in Lena’s hand.

 

_ Lenôtre-I found some date ideas if you’re available. _

 

Kara couldn’t help the bubble of relief and amazement that cracked her face into a bright smile. She carefully closed the book and set it reverently on the countertop, her touch lingering on the cover as she turned back to Lena. Kara felt as if her heart could fly, the reassurance that she hadn’t screwed up but timed her question perfectly had her elated.

 

“Elizaveta nearly blew my secret before I was ready to tell you, y’know. And then the issue with LuthorCorp happened and life was… a  _ lot _ …”

 

“Wait, Elizaveta?” Kara asked, her brain trying to play catch up. Lena glanced up at her nervously, her fingers twisting together in front of her.

 

“After the workshop was over and you were all cleaning up, she, um. She told me not to let you slip away. I was just getting to know you and I didn’t want to push… I didn’t want to move too fast and risk losing you because frankly I didn’t really know if you liked me back-”

 

Kara listened to Lena ramble, her grin growing wider and wider until she couldn’t take it anymore and reached out to cover Lena’s fidgeting hands with her own.

 

“If you saw my sign first does that mean I get to pick the date?”

 

“...really?”

 

“If you think that’s fair?”

 

Lena’s shoulders sagged in her own relief and she laughed freely with Kara, stepping eagerly into her space and a bright smile crinkling her nose in that cute way that made Kara’s stomach flip. Her slender hands rose and smoothed across Kara’s face, warm and solid. Lena slid her thumbs across her cheekbones in a gentle caress and Kara couldn’t help but lean into them, her own hands sliding carefully over Lena’s waist and pulled her closer. She couldn’t stop looking between Lena’s full lips pulled into a smile, repeatedly darting back up to her green eyes brimming with happiness.

 

“Darling, I think that’s more than fair.”

 

Lena pressed her mouth warmly to Kara’s in a slow chaste kiss, sighing happily when hands slid around her back. Kara chased after Lena when she pulled away and kissed her a little more firmly, with a little more conviction, her heart floating somewhere above her head. Lena was everything that she could have ever hoped for.

 

Kara rested her forehead against Lena’s, their noses brushing together and her body on fire where they touched. She felt like she was finally home. Kara smiled into her lips as Lena’s slender fingers started to pull her in again by the back of her neck.

 

“Promise?” Kara whispered.

 

“ _ Promise. _ ”

  
  



End file.
